The Media and Your Crisis

Communication with the media during a crisis is key to the success of your strategy. Make no mistake, The media will play a major role in your crisis. It's critical, that you gain control through the media during the early stages of a crisis, to prevent fear and apprehension spreading.

The media want accurate, detailed information, so they can write their stories and inform the public. They're only doing their job. And while they may appear intrusive at times, that may well be because the flow of information is not forthcoming.

The media will write stories about your crisis with or without your help. Some media outlets will take a negative slant, while others will run with a more positive story. Don't blame the media. Remember openness and respectfulness during a crisis enhances your credibility with the media. It can help you in the long run. Having a strong relationship with the media will help you in times of a crisis.

The media need to be looked after during your crisis. They often need to be pampered, like anyone, they need to be loved. While you may not feel obliged, you should always try and do the right thing by the media Make sure the media have reasonable access to the scene of the crisis, and offer other facilities that will make their job easier, such as: Phone Electrical outlet Desks Chairs Fax Computer Keep a log of reporters who have called and used the facilities.