Great resource, or powerful enemy?
In crisis management, the media is a double-edged sword. While they can be a great help in transmitting your desired message, journalists are in the business of delivering subscriptions (or, more likely these days, page views) and want a scoop regardless of whether it damages your reputation or not.
In a recent article for EvanCarmichael.com, PR pro Georgina Dunkley gave her advice on how to make sure the relationship between business and media is beneficial to both parties:
Maintain a relationship with the journalist – if you have promised a statement or an interview with a journalist by a certain date or time, then ensure that you get it to them in that time. You will certainly lose brownie points for not supplying the right detail to them for the deadline. If you work within their parameters they are certainly likely to be fairer with you.
Nurture the journalist relationship – most journalists will write a balanced story, provided they have been given sufficient insight into the crisis. In this case, all that you can hope for is a balanced argument which puts forward both sides of the story. Once the story has aired contact the journalist and thank them for the piece. This is a great way to form a relationship with a journalist for when you have some good news to share.
As with most relationships, the one between business and reporter is based on honesty and good etiquette. Cause a reporter to take a reaming at the office for missing a deadline, and you’ve likely made a powerful enemy. Pass on an exclusive interview explaining your side of a crisis situation, and guess who will be ready to write up your next charity event?
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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. , an international crisis management consultancy, and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]
Jonathan L. Bernstein, founder and Chairman of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. has more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of crisis management – crisis response, vulnerability assessment, planning, training and simulations.
Erik Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management. Erik started with BCM in 2009 as a writer and subsequently became social media manager for the consultancy itself as well as for a number of BCM clients before moving to the president position.