Managing Communication and the Media

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Managing Communication and the Media
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Communication Demands
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Media Reaction

• Personalities and people in the business and
  involved in the event make the story
• Media expect to know about a blue light
  situation within 5 minutes
• Police and Fire Rescue services use media to
  send warnings to the public
• Media will be on the ground in urban areas 5
  minutes after being informed
• First reports to air 5 minutes after that

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Media - Uncontrolled Communication

• The boundaries between the public and the media
  have gone
• First pictures and videos now from mobile phones
• Public can get published easily
• BLOGs internal and external
• Video / youtube - damnation
• BBC on 7/7
• 20,000 emails from eyewitnesses
• 1,000 photos, and 20 usable videos, most notably
  from the Tube, in the first 24 hours

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Context

• BBC motto
• Get it first, get it fast, but get it right
• BBCs wry motto for Sky
• Sky News not wrong for long
• Source BBC Assignments Editor

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Truisms

• Rolling media has a voracious appetite
• Visual is all important but dont forget radio
• Papers develop a story intermittently when
  compared to TV / Radio
• 24/7 in parts
• Message via paper / website / email / alerts to
  mobiles
• An essential truth
• the earlier you speak, the less you have to say
• Get your website running
• Media will establish a link from their websites
• Ensure it can be updated very quickly
• Give still picture opportunities to avoid snatch
  pics

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Internet

• Essential in todays media environment
• Immediate distribution world-wide
• Media will use it to build their story
• Must be rapidly and constantly updated
• Items to be posted include
• Press releases
• Fast facts
• Photographs of incident
• Video clips of the incident also post on
  youtube
• Photographs of Corporate Executives and key
  managers (unsmiling)

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104 minutes after the first explosion
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BUNCEFIELD TERMINAL FAST FACTS
Buncefield Terminal Fast Facts
Site Profile Hertfordshire Oil Storage
Terminal Site History Hertfordshire Oil Storage
Terminal (HOSL) (Buncefield) HOSL West HOSL
East Geography Surrounding Area Personnel Safety
Security Environment Fire fighting Medical ABOV
E ARE HEADINGS ONLY, FAST FACTS RAN TO 4 SIDES A4
PAPER
Useful Telephone Numbers
Buncefield Site Images
Press Releases
Contact Us
Useful Links
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Refusal to Engage

• Looks as though you are not handling the event
  competently
• Suggests a cover up
• Hands control of the news agenda to those who are
  prepared to be the medias talking heads
• never a shortage come pouring out of the
  woodwork the moment something unfortunate happens
• may be from a competitor or disgruntled former
  employee etc
• Better to do the talking and top up the news
  agenda, rather than playing catch-up with events
  and with the news following a hostile agenda

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Telephone Response

• Response Team
• Press officers
• PR consultants
• Specially-trained employees
• Separate room
• Communications facilities
• Clear guidance on releasable information
• Approved background information available

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Holding Statement

• First public acknowledgement
• Must be releasable within 15 minutes from any
  location
• no time to wait for Public Affairs
• no time to wait for approval
• A simple pre-formatted statement
• completed rapidly after an incident
• states that an incident has taken place
• gives known facts
• Buys time to activate a media response
  organisation

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News Releases

• Formal statement by the Company
• Contain
• details of the incident
• details of the Company's response to the
  situation
• Targeted at media and stakeholders who do not
  merit a tailored communications response
• Regular flow of information
• Approved by speedy procedure
• Should 'stand alone'
• Efficient distribution system
• Anticipate / exploit deadlines