Help with crisis management for tricky media situations
Most of the time when organizations are dealing with crisis management, their leadership is very concerned, often even intimidated by, the media. This often drives people to speak when they really shouldn’t, simply because they’ve had a microphone shoved in front of their face.
In a recent Monday Morning Media Minute, PR expert Jerry Brown offered up a quick and easy two question litmus test for anyone forced to decide whether it’s best to talk, or just keep walking:
- Do you want to talk to this reporter or do you want to remain silent? It’s a question worth asking, even if your answer’s almost always yes, because it leads naturally to the second question.
- Why? What do you want to happen as a result of talking to this reporter? What’s your objective?
If you have a reasonable chance of getting your message into the story the reporter’s working on and having your message in that story is worthwhile, then you probably should talk to the reporter.
How do you get to the point where you can determine precisely what you want to happen as a result, and whether you have a “reasonable chance” of getting your message into the story?
That, dear readers, is all about a hefty dose of media training. Until you have someone experienced in the field not only explain how the media operates, but also put you through practice that includes trying to trip you up or bamboozle you from every angle possible, then we’d recommend directing those reporters to your crisis management team for any questions they may have.
The BCM Blogging Team
https://www.bernsteincrisismanagement.com/