Managing Content in a Crisis
PRORP Interna1onal Congress
By Joan Gladstone, APR, Fellow PRSA Gladstone Interna1onal www.gladstonepr.com
Dic1onary defini1on of a spokesperson:
Someone whose job is to officially represent an organiza1on, for
example in dealing with reporters
How do you influence percep1on and preserve your reputa1on in a crisis?
Become an authorita1ve source of
informa1on to reporters, key audiences and the general public
1. Facts
Know that you won’t have all the facts in the early stages of a crisis.
Communicate the facts you DO have. Add new informa1on as it becomes
available
Key Ques1ons
• WHO was impacted? • WHAT happened? • WHERE did the incident happen? • WHEN did you find out? • WHY or HOW did it happen? • HOW will you prevent something like this from happening again?
First Media Statement
We can confirm that a man was in an accident at our theme park. He was immediately taken to a hospital.
Follow-‐up Statement Since Mr. Thomas’ unfortunate accident on March 6, 2014, we have fully cooperated with the (city) police department and (state) Department of Safety. We are commided to con1nuing to work with the authori1es as they inves1gate the cause of the accident. We have reached out to Mr. Thomas and his family to offer our sincere apologies and wishes for his speedy recovery.
Media Statement (con1nued) This is the first 1me that an accident of this type has occurred at our theme park. We take guest safety very seriously and are conduc1ng our own internal inves1ga1on. We will take all ac1ons necessary to ensure that this adrac1on and all of our adrac1ons operate in a safe manner. The roller coaster will remain closed pending the results of the inves1ga1on
2. Ac1on
Change the focus from the media to those impacted by the incident
Describe what you are doing now, and what you plan to do, to build
TRUST
Immediate Ac1ons
• No1fied the state licensing agency • Sent a leder to all preschool parents • Provided a statement to the media • Scheduled a parents-‐only mee1ng • Ordered a temporary suspension of opera1ons for five days for intensive staff training and thorough review of opera1ons
3. Empathy
When an incident impacts people, property or the environment,
your organiza1on’s primary role is to express compassion and
reassure those affected
Lead from the Heart
• Choose your spokesperson wisely • Discuss tone & demeanor • Even if reporters don’t use the quote, you can convey empathy statements via – Website, Facebook, social media, YouTube – Employee mee1ngs, Town Halls – Key stakeholder emails, calls, briefings
Empathy Messages
Guidelines • Be sincere and honest • Show compassion before sta1ng the facts • Demonstrate commitment and a sense of urgency Examples • We’re deeply sorry about the tragic accident • Our hearielt condolences go out to her family • We have established a 24/7 hotline to provide updates
Amtrak Update: May 12, 11:13pm • This evening, Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188,
opera1ng from Washington to New York derailed north of Philadelphia. There were approximately 238 passengers and 5 crew members on board.
• Ini1al reports are that several passengers have been injured and taken to local medical facili1es for treatment. Local emergency responders are on the scene and an inves1ga1on is ongoing.
• Northeast Corridor service between New York and Philadelphia is suspended.
• Individuals with ques1ons about their friends and family on train 188 should call Amtrak's Emergency Hotline at 800-‐523-‐9101. Addi1onal updates will be provided when available.
AMTRAK CEO Message May 14
• The derailment of Northeast Regional Train 188 was terrible tragedy that we are responding to with every resource we have available.
• With truly heavy hearts, we mourn those who died. • On behalf of the en1re Amtrak family, I offer our sincere sympathies and prayers for them and their loved ones.
• Amtrak takes full responsibility and deeply apologizes for our role in this tragic event.
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