Prepared for Sept. 24, 2014 presentation for Leadership Dublin

1. What to do when the
Media comes
knocking?
PR Training
SEPTEMBER 24, 2014
DR. BRENDA JONES
COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM CHAIR, FRANKLIN
UNIVERSITY
BRENDA.JONES@FRANKLIN.EDU

2. Agenda
 Cycle of Conflict and PR Processes
 What to say
 How to Communicate in a Crisis
 Ethics and Crisis Communication
 Media Perspective & Tips
 Social Media
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3. Cycle of Conflict and Four PR Processes
Proactive Phase Strategic Phase Reactive Phase Recovery Phase
Issues Management
Environmental
Scanning
Risk Communication
(Ongoing unless crisis occurs)
Crisis Communication
Reputation
Management
Issues Tracking Conflict Positioning Conflict
Resolution
Litigation Image Restoration
Crisis Plan Crisis
Management
PR
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4. What is at Stake? Reputation
One of an organization’s most valuable assets.
Reputation has three foundations:
1. economic performance
2. social responsiveness
3. the ability to deliver valuable outcomes to
stakeholders
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5. Your crisis team works together to:
 Get to the root of the crisis (determine what happened, why,
how, when and where);
 Communicate appropriately and in real-time with your key
stakeholders; and
 Put the crisis to bed as quickly as possible, while suffering the
least amount of negative repercussions to the organization’s
reputation and bottom line.
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6. What to Say
TIPS, ACTIVITY, AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY BASICS
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7. What to Say in the Event of a Crisis
 Details
 Sympathy & Reassurance
 Good reputation of company
 Extensive information
 Background information
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8. How to
Communicate in a
Crisis
BEST PRACTICES AND TOOLS
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9. HHooww ttoo CCoommmmuunniiccaattee iinn aa CCrriissiiss
1. Put the Public first.
2. Be accessible.
3. Take responsibility (for solving the problem)
4. Communicate with key publics.
5. Set up a central information center.
6. Never say, “No comment.”
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10. How to Communicate in a Crisis
Continued
7. Be honest. Don’t obscure facts and try to mislead the
public.
8. Provide a constant flow of information. (vs. cover-up story)
9. Monitor news coverage, social media, and telephone
inquiries.
10. Be familiar with media needs and deadlines.
11. Designate a high-level organization spokesperson
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11. Contingency Continuum - Advocacy to
Accommodation
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12. Averting a Crisis
The Red Cross rogue tweet in 2011:
 the tweet was quickly deleted
 it wasn’t ignored
The Red Cross tweeted, “We’ve deleted the rogue tweet
but rest assured the Red Cross is sober and we’ve
confiscated the keys.”
Read more at http://www.business2community.com/public-relations/disaster-averted-six-examples-of-top-pr-crisis-management-
0133742#3Oz7pK6xzGIf7LHc.99
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13. Response Flow Charts are a Tool
A good response flow chart will:
1.Provide your team with a visual reference to help them assess any given
situation.
2.Guide your team to effectively manage any type of issue that may arise online.
3.Clearly indicate when to jump in and respond and when to escalate the
situation to the crisis management team.
(Agnes, 2014)
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14. What to Say Authoring Activity
 Get into four groups (4-5 individuals)
 Based on the details provided to your group, prepare a
media message.
 Deliver your response orally.
Scenario: Potential bad press for community festival.
Note – this is not a graded assignment!
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15. DISC and Crisis Communication
◦Dominant
◦Influence
◦Steadiness
◦Conscientiousness
C/S = see self as less powerful than environment
D/I = may be too bold and action oriented
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16. Channels and Visual
Communication
Multi-channel communications
Images are powerful
Image source: www.todayonline.com
“Crises are magnified as media events and are rich sites for the inception of images”
( Ho et al., 2014)
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17. Ethics and Crisis
Communication
BUILDING YOUR MESSAGE
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18. How a company should deal with a
crisis
“Get it right; Get it fast; Get it out; and Get it over”
Warren Buffett
Image source: http://sharequotes.us/value-for-money-beneficence-from-warren-buffett.html
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19. Business ethics and building your
message
Sincerity, competence, and sympathy are more likely to be
perceived if:
 Your organization’s behavior is honorable and defensible
 Your organization is ethical
 Your organization’s mission is worthy
 (PR’s)/ Your advocacy of the organization has integrity
 Your organization works at creating mutual benefit
whenever possible.
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20. Media Perspective &
Tips
WHO’S KNOCKING? WHY?
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Image Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4485960_start-career-broadcast-journalism.html

21. Who’s Knocking? Media
Perspective & Tips
“Netizens” vs. Professional Journalists
Professional journalists operate within a code of ethics (www.spj.org)
Tenets upheld by this professional group include:
◦seek truth and report it;
◦minimize harm;
◦act independently;
◦be accountable.
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22. Rate Your News Interview
Experience
How many have been interviewed in a situation involving
stressful or negative news?
How satisfied were you with that experience?
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1 2 3 4 5
Very
dissatisfied
Somewhat
dissatisfied
Neither
satisfied nor
dissatisfied
Somewhat
satisfied
Very
satisfied

23. Tips for working with
reporters in a crisis
 Focus on the priorities.
The first concern always is human life.
 Make the necessary calls as soon as possible, but be aware
cell phone conversations/text messages may be intercepted.
 Prepare a response statement.
 Avoid descriptive words such as ‘catastrophe’ or ‘fireball’.
 Do not speculate (e.g., about the cause of an incident)
 Do not estimate damage in monetary terms.
(Anthonissen, P. 2008)
Photocredit: Blue Jean Images/Photodisc/Getty Images/
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24. Tips for Working with reporters
continued
Never say, ‘No comment.’
◦If you can’t provide an answer, explain why.
◦If you don’t know an answer, say, ‘At this point, we don’t know.’
It’s okay to refer to ‘the company’ and to use ‘we’.
Always assume: the microphone is live; the camera is on; and
everything is ‘on the record’.
(Anthonissen, P. 2008)
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25. Social Media & Crisis
Communication Basics
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
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26. Social media and Crisis
Communication
 Have an updated social media policy
 Use these channels thoughtfully
 Monitor, respond, and be proactive!
 Understand laws pertaining to social media use & monitoring
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27. Resources & Relevant Example
Legal issues related to social media policy:
http://www.ohioshrm.org/shrmChapters/schrma/documents/ManagingSocialMediaintheWorkpl
ace.pdf
Social Media Tips for Crisis Communication: http://agnesday.com
Agnes, M. (2014). Free Issues Management Response Flow Chart (For Your Use).
Posted May 22, 2014. Accessed at: http://agnesday.com/issues-management-response-flow-chart/
http://www.orau.gov/cdcynergy/erc/content/activeinformation/essential_principles/EP-media_
content.htm
Do we really need this stuff to serve on city council?
Example: Mismanagement of funds – Martha’s Vineyard
http://mvgazette.com/news/2014/06/24/oak-bluffs-selectmen-dismiss-council-aging-director?
k=vg541cda62a48a6
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28. References
Agnes, M. (2014). Free Issues Management Response Flow Chart (For Your Use).
Posted May 22, 2014. Accessed at: http://agnesday.com/issues-management-response-flow-chart/
Anthonissen, P. (2008). Crisis Communication: Practical PR Strategies for Reputation Management
and Company Survival. London, GBR: Kogan Page, Limited.
Cameron, G. T. (2008). Public relations today: Managing competition and conflict. Boston, MA:
Pearson/Allyn and Bacon
Ho, B., Pang, A.; AuYong, G.X.P.; Lau, L.T. (2014). Enduring image: Capturing defining moments in
crises. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 519-525. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.03.008
Social Media Policy “Database”: http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies/
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