Dealing with the media in times of crisis

"In any risk/crisis communication plan, gaining the support of the media should be a major objective. Effective communication during a high risk incident is absolutely essential as the reputation of the organisation is judged by the manner in which it communicates the event, rather than the actual event itself."

Speaking at the Marcus Evans Crisis Communications conference, Kali pointed out that negative perception of the media in their coverage of a crisis is particularly dangerous to the company as the public hears, sees and reads about it, and good media relations will in fact often minimise the chances of bias or one-sided reportage.

"The consistency of a company's message to the media, investment community and other stakeholders is critical to the continued strength and reputation of the company's brand and equity in times of crisis.

"The company's interaction with the media must not be unstructured and careless. Nor does it mean that just anyone should interact with the media or be quoted on behalf of the company. Designated spokespersons must be vigilant to prevent providing comment which might be harmful or damaging to the company."

Kali says key imperatives when dealing with the media during a crisis, are:
· Good media relations.
· Humanise your organisation.
· Proactive communication.
· Access to management.
· Access to information.
· Be aware of using emotive language.
· Keep it simple: always tell the truth.

"The media are a diverse group of people, generally some are well informed, perceptive, diligent and concerned to report accurately, while others are the complete antithesis, ignorant, sensational and biased," says Kali. "Some media people have inflated egos. They frequently mistake the power and influence of the media as their own."

In understanding the media, Kali recommends:
· Never ask to have a story withheld.
· Never ask to review a story before it is published.
· Avoid being evasive.
· Never question the right of a reporter to ask a question.
· Do not imply that a question is stupid.
· Keep promises and get back to the journalists with requested information.

"The better media are suspicious of PR gloss, especially during a crisis. They see themselves as society's watchdogs and are often antagonistic towards business. They feel that the only good story is the one you don't want to have published, not the hype handed out as media releases!" warns Kali.

It should go without saying, that company personnel must never take issue with journalists and the media, and only in extreme cases, can the CEO or company spokesperson of the company take issue with the media. "Enemies in the media can be around to your detriment for many years."

Kali says that through the media, you can tell your story and ensure a high degree of public credibility, but be aware of media shortcomings during a crisis:
1. Misunderstanding or misreporting complex scientific or technological information.
2. Oversimplifying information to illustrate risk.
3. Strong emotive language.
4. Speculation.
5. Sensationalism.
6. Assumption.
7. Demanding answers when there are none and interpreting the inability to answer, as being evasive.
8. Misquoting the spokesperson to add an angle to the story.

Kali has prepared a list of practical guidelines during a crisis:
· Respond immediately - express regret and concern for what has happened.
· Establish the company immediately as the authoritative source of information.
· Dependent on the nature of the crisis - contact emergency personnel and other stakeholders on the scene and discuss procedures for handling media questions.
· Everyone involved in the incident needs to tell the same story (reporters often question emergency personnel and the police.)
· Prepare a brief statement. Wordy releases often lead to distortion.
· Always be available - and manage the flow of information.
· Avoid automatically saying no comment.
· Act with integrity and credibility - if you don't know, say so.
· Tell the truth - but rather not comment if it is defamatory or injurious to the company.
· When in trouble with a media query, buy time and consult. If the matter is potentially controversial, consult legal.