When you are called in to perform crisis management for an organization, chances are the media will be involved. In a recent article, media/crisis management expert Rick Amme, President of Amme & Associates, shed some light on the reporter’s side of the issue, as well as what to do when someone gets your story wrong.
First of all, most reporters are trying to get it right. Occasionally they make mistakes out of ignorance, writing too fast, or overlooking a significant point. It’s not personal, they just screw up. Many times I have contacted a reporter on behalf of a client about a story error. Mostly they say, “Thanks for letting me know, I’ll fix it.” If the reporter is part of the problem, a call to an editor or more senior person sometimes reigns in a wayward journalist. In other words, if a story unfairly and mistakenly hurts you, don’t grumble about the !@#$%^&* media and ruminate. Call!
Featuring a look at the recent tussle between the Obama administration and Fox News, as well as several experiences from his own career, Rick’s article provides some insight into the complicated relationship between media and crisis manager.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/