Transcript Today’s Agenda

MEDIA MANAGEMENT UNDER FIRE
How to Control the Message
AGRIP/CAJPA JOINT PROGRAM
MARCH 15, 2001
Ricki C. Williams
Today’s Agenda
1. Value of Communication
2. Developing & Communicating your
Message
3. Stakeholder Outreach
4. Media Outreach
5. Lessons Learned
Why is communication
important?
 Builds trust
 Controls rumors
 Communicates the facts
 Opportunity to define the debate
What do you say?
 Your key messages
• Define the issue or the problem
• Define how it is being addressed
• Define the communication process
 Always tell the truth
What don’t you say?
 Don’t assert facts that can be refuted by
“higher” authorities
 Don’t guess, speculate, lie, stretch the truth
or hypothesize
 Don’t use difficult-to-understand concepts
and acronyms
What happens when you say “no
comment”?
 People assume you have something to hide,
leading to distrust and hysteria
How and to whom do you
communicate?

Identify the messenger(s) appropriate for the
message
• People often place more importance on the
messenger than the message

Communicate clearly

Identify all internal and external audiences “stakeholders”
Developing & Communicating
Your Message
 Create Issue Response Team (IRT)
• Determine procedures & protocols
• Collaborate on key issues
• Follow procedures and protocols
• Develop outreach strategies
Developing & Communicating
Your Message
 Practice good communication within IRT
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Create roster of key member information
Identify spokespersons and train them
Meet or consult by phone regularly
Produce written updates on situation for key
audiences
• Formalize “response protocols” to ensure
consistent responses to issue-related concerns
Stakeholder Outreach
 Inform and mobilize key allies
 Establish trust by employing credible
source for communicating information
Stakeholder Outreach
 Use variety of communication vehicles:
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Bulletins or special alerts
In-person meetings
Community committee meetings
Electronic mail
Web sites
Photographs and video tape of work in progress
Guided site tour if conditions are safe
Media Outreach
 Conduct media audit
 Develop customized list of key reporters
and media outlets
 Develop “screening form” to field media
inquiries
Media Outreach

Develop “media protocols”

Conduct media training of key spokespersons

Develop key messages

Initiate and establish relationships with
reporters
Lessons Learned

Don’t avoid communicating

Be proactive

Don’t make promises you can’t keep
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Support spokespersons

Be responsive to concerned parties
Lessons Learned
 What do stakeholders want to hear?
• Their concerns are valid and being
addressed
• Steps are being taken to fix the problem
• When the problem will be under control
• Their health & welfare are valued
QUESTIONS?