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Course : Crisis Communication (1510CC09)

elearning.lspr.edu
Master of Arts in Communication : Corporate Communication Studies

LSPR eLearning Program

Session Topic : Managing Crisis-Working with


the Media
Course: Crisis Communication
By Syafiq B. Assegaff, MA, MD, CBM, IAPR

Content

Part 1

Essential Role

Part 2

Working with the Media

Part 3

8 Faktor

Part 4

Wawancara

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S.3

Part1: Essential Role

Crisis: Sources

1. Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (1996) Crisis Communications A Casebook


Approach, Lawrence Erlbaum.
2. Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2011) Crisis Communications; A Casebook
Approach, 4th Edition, E-Book.
3. Coombs, W. Timothy & Holladay, Sherry J. (Ed) (2010) The
Handbook of Crisis Communications, Blackwell Publishing Ltd; read
Part III (The Practice), pp. 273 311.
4. Veil, Shari (University of Oklahoma), Friend vs. Foe: Viewing the
Media as a Partner in Crisis Response; A paper (nd).

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S.5

Crisis: Public & Organizations

Remember we have discussed this before


a. In Crisis: public perceives truth to be whatever public opinion says.
b. Organizations must prove (in a crisis) that the prevailing opinion is
NOT factual.
c. It is different between Court of
1) Public
2) Law
Remember the difference ?
d.
1)
2)
3)
4)

On any given issue, people find themselves towards the crisis as follow:
In favor of it (the news is considered true)
Against it
Neutral
Disinterested (couldnt care less) most people are here = silent
majority or = swing voters in general election.

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Crisis: Essential Role of Crisis Communication

To affect the public opinion process;


To prove that The Prevailing Truth is:
a) Not Factual, or
b) Not wholly factual

Not Factual

Not Wholly Factual

Use News Media

But DONT depend


on News Release
only

Needs,
Writing Skill, &
Other skills.
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Also Need:
Community relations
Consumer Relations
Employee relations

S.7

Crisis: Working with the Media

Managing a Crisis
Working with the Media - As the
Primary Stakeholder
a. Three (3) possible results of a
crisis:
1) Organization is put out of
business, ruined, sued.
2) Still exist, but has lost some
image, respect, or financial
position.
3) Won the war of,
public opinion & is seen better
(more favorable) than
before the crisis.
Many
want this.
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b. Information about crisis,


reaches publics by the media
more than by any other
means.
You can not hide media will
find you.

c. Bad news sell unfortunately.


Negative story is more
newsworthy than a positive one.
d. Plan in advance a system,
whereby you are notified of
erupting crises.
Be among the first to know.

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Part2: Working with the Media

Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

a. Prevention
Warning signs (prodromes) are crucial.
b.
1)
2)
3)
4)

Good to Avoid (Prevent) a Crisis:


Strong community relations;
Ongoing proactive PR programs;
A strong people centered, rather than profit centered;
Good Corporate Culture: honest, open communication is basic value.

Working with the Media


a) Before the crisis, anticipate what the media needs & wants;
b) The media wants to sell the newspaper & win the ratings war;
c) Media gives (the public) what it wants to know, rather than what the
public needs to know;
d) There is a fine line between news & entertainment; & crises make for
entertaining news.
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Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

e) The public is perceived to enjoy watching, reading about


organization that might have done bad things;
f) Never say no comment youll be perceived hiding information or
guilty;
g) If there is legal reason for not revealing information,
you must explain this as much as possible, & promise to reveal it a
specific time;
Do all you can to have the information at that time;
h) Do not assume the story will go away;
the media can write stories without you; &
its more dangerous for your organization.
i) Media can build its cases against the organization (as the bad guy)
through:
1. Interviews with disgruntled employees, volunteers, customers, former
employees, former customers.
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Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

2. Regurgitate bad files kept in the computer, & call up log forgotten
problems & mistakes.
3. Carl Bernstein (1994) & Bob Woodward,
investigated the Watergate Crisis for The Washington Post,
There are always people, if you work hard enough, who will want
to tell the truth.
j.

Dont against the media do not wage a war with an enemy who
buys ink by the barrel, paper by the ton, & controls the airwaves.
Bob Woodward
American investigative
journalist & non-fiction
author.

Carl Bernstein
American
investigative
journalist & author.

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S.12

Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

What will the media want to know ?

1. What happened ?
2. Were there any death or injuries ?
3. What is the extent of the damage ?
4. Is there a danger of future injuries or damage ?
5. Why did it happen ?
6. Who or what is responsible ?
7. What is being done about it ?
8. When will it be over ?
9. Has it happened before ?
10. Were there any warning signs of the problem ?

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S.13

Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

a. If you have made mistake, its better to reveal at once, apologize &
make amends (later).
b. Release your own bad news, as you may lessen the likelihood of
rumor, supposition, half-truth, & misinformation.
c. If it has already resulted injuries or deaths, or
if safety is threatened, talk to the media immediately & indicate
that you are looking into the situation
which you just found out 5-10 minutes ago. to show that you
care, & you care medias demand.
d. If not knowing now, ask to call back. Keep your promise.
e. Important:
Media & the public are entitled to have the facts.
The idea is to help provide the media, in its coverage, with a
minimum of criticism of the organization.
f. The goal is: to keep or get the public trust through the media.
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Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

a. The goal is: to keep or get the public trust through the media.
b. The media needs you (for information for interesting stories), &
your organization needs media to
communicate with the public en masse.
c. Keep this symbiotic relations in mind
Always establish spirit of cooperation.
d. Three (3) responses to a media request (in a crisis):
We
1) know, & heres all the information (the media need).
2) dont know everything at this time.
Here is what we know (now).
We will find out more & let you know.
3) have no idea, but we will find out & tell you (the media).

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Apology: Definition

a.
b.
c.
d.

Know the difference between an apology & an excuse.


An excuse passes blame to others; an apology does not.
Do not say, We didnt realize . . . when you should have realized.
An apology is a sincere admission that you are sorry for whatever
happened.
e. When people, especially children,
were sick & dying from the E. coli that had tainted Jack-in-the-Box
hamburgers,
an excuse was not what the consumer public wanted to hear.
Saying the meat-packer was responsible for the E. coli infections was not
an apology.
f. If your company had sold such a product,
you would owe the public an apology: We are sorry. We will do
everything we can to make amends.
We take responsibility for medical treatments.
See Apologia Theory in Chapter 2, Crisis Communications Theory & also
Chapter 14, Individuals in Crises.
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Spokesperson: Identify

a.
b.

c.

Identify one primary spokesperson for your company.


Designating one primary spokesperson reduces the possibility of,
Conflicting statements,
Organization values, or
Explanations being released to the media.
Speaking with one voice is more crucial in a crisis than during normal
operations.
d. The CEO is considered by most public relations professionals,
to be the spokesperson of choice during a crisis,
especially if people have been injured, if there is danger of physical
harm, or
if there are millions of dollars in damages.
e. The CEO usually has the most credibility with publics & the media.
They are seen as true representatives of the company, as persons who can
make decisions, & speak for the company.
If the company has a heart, it is the CEOs; at least, thats the publics
perception.
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Spokesperson: Identify (Cont.)

f.

Alternative spokespersons should be selected in the event the primary


spokesperson is not available during a crisis.
Supportive spokespersons, people who can speak authoritatively on
technical subjects, are frequently of value, too.
For example, if patrons of a restaurant get food poisoning, a physician
might serve as
a supportive spokesperson responsible for telling the public about
symptoms & treatments.

External Experts as Spokespersons


1. When there is an opportunity,
to let impartial experts speak about your companys diligence,
sense of responsibility, or innocence in a crisis, permit them to be
spokespersons.
2. In the Snapps restaurant case (see Chapter 6),
medical officials spoke at news conferences telling the public that
AIDS could not be spread to food by an HIV-positive food handler.
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Crisis: Working with the Media

News Conference
a. If a news conference is warranted & can be arranged swiftly, arrange
one.
b. Prepare statement,
read & distributed to the media.
This assists you in setting the tone for the rest of the session.
c. Spokespersons should have major talking points (key messages & speaking
points).
d. These talking points are 1-or 2-sentence summaries used to remind you of
messages you want to be sure to get across to the public.
e. They might provide details about,
the crisis or positive information about the company,
such as the companys safety record, safety procedures, evacuation
procedures, &
other information that says, We are very concerned; we care.
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Crisis: Working with the Media (Cont.)

f.

Be mindful during a crisis,


however, that it is not the time to bring up unrelated community service
projects,
no matter how many you have.
g. When lives are in jeopardy, no one wants to hear about how much money
you give annually to scholarships.
h. Spokespersons should rehearse their statements &
talking points enough to be comfortable with the information, to be
comfortable in front of TV cameras, &
so prepared that he or she need only glance occasionally at notes.
i. Preferably, before a crisis,
practice sessions should be held in which employees ask the most difficult,
rude, pointed questions of
the spokespersons to simulate an actual crisis news conference.
j. Do not prolong the crisis by calling an unnecessary news conference or
by engaging in other activities that can keep the crisis in the news.
During a crisis, you want to get off the news pages & broadcasts.
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S.20

Media: Beberapa Petunjuk/Guidelines

a. Mulai dgn pengetahuan yg cukup guna,


mengumpulkan kisah yg potensial punya nilai berita, mengevaluasinya, &
memprosesnya (edit), &
membungkus-nya dalam format yg sesuai utk media cetak, majalah, &
media elektronik.
b. Tetapkan juru bicara yg ada; Anda sendiri ?
c. Sang juru bicara mesti bersikap spontan (candid) dalam menghadapi
permintaan (harapan) media.
d. Kelola keseimbangan:
jangan biarkan berita buruk muncul tanpa Anda imbangi dgn berita
baik yg bisa Anda ciptakan.
Bersikap proaktif: usahakan utk menghadirkan berita baik,
sebagai penyeimbang berita yg tidak diinginkan (buruk);
Jangan bersikap defensif semata terhadap berita buruk.

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Media: Beberapa Petunjuk/Guidelines (Lanjut)

e. Secara kontinyu latihlah terus diri Anda atau juru bicara yg ada utk makin
terbiasa (pandai) dalam berurusan dgn media.
f. Berikan advokasi terhadap pihak terkait mengenai,
1) Masalah2 kemasyarakatan (public issues) &
2) Penerimaan media terhadap hal itu.

g. Siap terhadap yg tidak diharapkan & bersiaga terus.


Jika perlu, siapkan rencana penanganan krisis (crisis or disaster plan).

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Part3: Berhubungan dgn Media

Media: 8 Faktor

Berhubungan dgn Media


Penting:
bagaimana cara kita
menyajikan informasi yg
wartawan suka, atau
mereka anggap sebagai
disukai publik (pembaca,
pendengar, pemirsa).

News Worthiness: 8 factors

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1. Timeliness: terpenting utk


berita.
Mesti current (sedang
berlangsung) &
tepat waktu (timely).
2. Prominence: ketokohan;
eg. Selebriti.
3. Kedekatan (proximity):
Melokalisasi rilis berita &
membuatnya sesuai ukuran
penjahit (tailoring)
dgn organisasi atau
kedekatan dgn individu lebih
disukai.

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Part4: 8 Faktor

Media: 8 Faktor (Lanjut)

4. Signifikansi: berapa orang akan kena dampaknya; siapa saja yg kena


efeknya ?
5. Tidak lazim, aneh (unusualness): di luar kebiasaan.
6. Human Interest: orang suka membaca tentang orang lain
Anda mesti memanusiakan cerita yg ada.
Misal: Proyek air, bukan hanya mengenai mesin, tapi orang2 yg dapat
manfaat darinya.
7. Konflik:
reporter sering membakar kontroversi dgn mengutip satu pihak,
kemudian menanyai pihak yg satu lagi utk memberikan komentar.
8. Kebaruan (newness):
Mengumumkan sebuah produk atau jasa baru.
pertama kali terjadi.

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Media: Misi

Misi
a. Media:
Memberi informasi secara cepat, akurat & lengkap mengenai:
Masalah yg
1) Disukai audience (publik), dan
2) Mempengaruhi publik secara siginifikan tidak peduli apakah:
audience menyatakan kesukaannya atau tidak, &
apakah audience menyadarainya (aware) atau tidak.
b. Anda (sebagai PR ):
Utk membangun hubungan baik dgn publik (stakeholder) organisasi.
c. Keduanya (Media & Anda):
Kewajiban mengedepankan kebenaran & akurasi sesuai hukum.

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Media: Kekuatan

Kekuatan Media
a. Media punya kekuatan yg sangat besar
b. Bisa menjangkau publik dgn cara yg tidak bisa dilakukan organisasi
manapun.
c. Bisa mempengaruhi opini publik & memotivasi respon publik.
d. Jurnalis percaya publik punya Hak utk Tahu
e. Jurnalis menganggap diri mereka sebagai Pelindung Masyarakat
f. Mereka bukan Berusaha utk Menjebak Anda tetapi mereka ingin
memberitahukan kepada masyarakat apa yg sedang terjadi.
Jika itu hal
1) Baik: organisasi akan mencari jurnalis;
2) Buruk & mempengaruhi publik: jurnalis mencari organisasi.
g. Maka mereka harus mengantisipasi pertanyaan wartawan:
5W + H
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Media: 5 W + H & Akuntabilitas

5W + H
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

What : Apa
Who : Siapa
Where: Di mana
When : Kapan
Why : Mengapa
How : Bagaimana

Akuntabilitas
1) Publik & kemudian jurnalis,
mengharapkan Akuntabilitas
bisa di Pertanggung jawabkan

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2) Mereka juga akan mencari hal2


berkaitan dgn,
Pengungkapan ancaman
bahaya atau
Permasalahan yg
mempengaruhi publik.

3) Jangan menghadapi wawancara


dgn mengharapkan bisa,
Menyimpan Kebenaran atau
Membela Diri tetapi lebih
kepada
Meluruskan, menjelaskan atau
memberikan kepastian bahwa
permasalahan sedang di cari
jalan keluarnya.
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Media: Hak Jawab

a. Jurnalis diwajibkan utk meliput 2 sisi dari satu cerita


Balance, adil.
b. Jadi jika ada kritik,
tentang sesuatu hal yg menjadi tanggung jawab Anda,
Anda bisa memberikan pertanggungjawaban akan kebenaran
cerita tersebut.
c. Gunakan Hak Jawab ini utk menjelaskan atau mengekspresikan
pandangan Anda kepada publik.

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Media: Informasi

Lindungi Aliran Informasi Anda


a. Anda tidak bisa menghentikan atau melarang jurnalis utk meliput suatu
berita.
b. Namun Anda bisa memberikan mereka & diri anda sendiri,
sebanyak mungkin bantuan utk memastikan bahwa
peliputan yg akan diberikan berimbang & akurat.
c. Pekerjaan jurnalis adalah utk membuat publik mendapatkan informasi,
jadi jika Anda tidak memberikan informasi pada mereka,
mereka akan pergi ketempat lain utk mendapatkannya.
d. Bahkan juka ada sesuatu hal yg tidak anda banggakan,
adalah lebih baik utk mengambil alih aliran informasi Anda &
mengatur respon anda.
Lalu berharap bahwa informasi itu berasal dari anda atau akan ada
orang lain yg akan berbicara atas nama anda.
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Media: Respon

Berusaha Selalu Merespon


a. Berusahalah utk selalu memberikan respon
b. Berikan kutipan secepatnya kepada media
Jika anda tidak bisa muncul di media secara langsung
c. Anda bisa mengkontrol apa yg dikatakan & jurnalis tidak akan
memberitakan hal yg salah
Pernyataan pers
d. juga merupakan hal yg baik utk memulai sebuah konferensi pers.
e. memastikan bahwa,
apa yg dikatakan juga ada dalam bentuk tertulis
jadi kecil kemungkinan utk mereka salah kutip.

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Wawancara: Cara

1. Cara terbaik merespon sebuah berita adalah dgn berhadapan


langsung dgn media
Memberikan
2. rasa percaya kepada jurnalis & publik bahwa tidak ada yg ditutuptutupi dari organisasi anda
3. Anda kesempatan utk merespon komentar atau kritik sesegera
mungkin.

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Media Interview: 10 DOs

10 DOs for Media Interview


1. Listen to the whole question
before answering;
2. Use everyday language, not
jargon.
3. Calm, courteous, responsive,
direct, positive, truthful, concerned,
& if necessary, repentant &
apologetic;
4. Do understand reporters job;
respect deadlines; return phone
calls promptly;
5. Do be accessible & pleasant;
6. Treat the reporter as a partner, an
ally in maintaining or restoring
your good image.
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7. Tell the truth; misleading &


omitting facts are also forms of
lying.
(debatable: some PR
practitioners disagree with this
position;
but even the skeptics would
agree that its important to
appear open and honest);
8. Look the reporter in the eye;
address each reporter by name
(if possible);
9. Do use your Crisis Communications
Plan.
10. Do keep employees informed of
the crisis; they may be unselected
spokespersons.
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Media Interview: 10 DO NOTs

10 DO NOTs for Media Interview


Do not
1. Be scared (afraid).
2. Speculate; either you know or you dont know;
3. Get overly upset about being quoted out of context prepared written
(text) statement is better.
4. Play favorites with the media.
5. Pull advertising because reporters are not cooperative.
6. Consider your news release golden. Usually it will be changed, except in
small-staffed newspapers.
7. Stick to a story if it has changed (just to be consistent); the reporter
realizes that things change.
8. Be trapped into predicting the future.
9. Wear sunglasses of chew gum.
10. Smoke.
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Interview: Trick

Trick Questions
Being interviewed is like playing Russian roulette. You never know which
question will kill you.
1. Speculative Questions: begin with if.
These can be embarrassing & dangerous.
For example, a reporter may ask, If the earthquake had happened during
business hours,
how many people would have been killed or injured ?

2. Leading Questions: imply that the reporter already has the answer;
you are merely to verify it.
For example, You do agree that the company could have avoided this
tragedy, right?

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Interview: Trick (Cont.)

3.
a)

b)

4.
a.
b.
c.

Loaded Questions:
Are designed to elicit an emotional response.
Some television reporters thrive on these because
responses to them make for more exciting videos.
A sample might be,
Isnt it true that you knew there was asbestos in the ceiling & failed to do
anything about it ?
In the case of a loaded question, rephrase it & answer your own question.
You could say, Do you mean, Were we aware there was asbestos ? No,
we were not.
Nave Questions:
Indicate that the reporter has not done any homework & does not know what
to ask. Tell me, what does your company do ? Is an example.
Reporters who ask such questions are dangerous because they desperately
need a story.
Make sure they get the story you want them to have.
Give them media materials such as press kits, backgrounders,
biographies, & news releases.

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Interview: Trick (Cont.)

5. Silence or an absence of questioning:


a) Is used by reporters who want you to spill your guts, to talk on & on.
Many people tend to babble because there is silence.
b) Remember, silence is the reporters problem, not yours.
Use this opportunity to reinforce positive statements or continue to be silent.
6. Good-bye Questions:
a. Are posed at the end of an interview & may even come after the camera or
tape recorder is turned off.
b. The reporter shakes hands & says, By the way . . . Watch out for what
follows. The interview is not necessarily over.
c. Remember: in all questioning, be positive, concerned, empathetic, &
apologetic (if necessary).
7.
8.
9.
10.

False Questions
The Know-it-all Question
Accusatory Question
Multiple-part Questions

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11. Jargonistic Questions


12. Chummy Questions
13. Labeling Questions
Read the book.
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Media: Reporters

a)

b)

c)

The preceding discussion of trick questions may seem,


to be a warning that reporters are sinister creatures whose life goal is to
harass public relations practitioners. This is usually not the case.
There are jerks in every profession, including the news media.
There are also those journalists who are not friendly with PR people.
But many of them seek to work in PR industry.
Reporters are frequently not knowledgeable about, or interested in, the issues
they cover.
d) A story may have been assigned to them.
Their task is to bring back an interesting story, a story that
will get them a promotion, a raise, an extended contract, or an award.
e) They want their stories prominently displayed in the newspaper or at the top
of the broadcast.
f) They want to get this award-winning story back before the deadline.
All would rather that you assist them than be an obstacle to them.

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S.39

Media: Reporters (Cont.)

g) After reporters have filed stories, they are frequently finished with them.
They do not write the newspaper headlines that you hatethats the job of
editors you rarely see.
Sometimes, if the story continues, other reporters will be assigned.
h) If you are breaking the news of a crisis or a development in a crisis &
you know of reporters who are known to be fair & accurate,
you can sometimes give them your story.
i) This does not mean that if you dislike the reporter assigned,
you can call another.
This works only when no other reporters are involved, & you cannot be
charged with playing favorites.
j) Choosing the news outlet for bad news is not an unheard-of or new tactic.
k) In dealing with reporters,
one must consider the pressures they are going through,
especially when covering an emotional story.

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Read the Book *)

Communicating with
a. Lawyers.
b. Internal Publics.
c. External Publics:
1) Include consumers/customers, community members, government officials, labor
unions, dealers, suppliers, trade associations, competitors, & other outside
people related in some way to an organization.
2) As in all types of communications,
it is important to strategically plan the correct message & the appropriate
medium for
communicating with each external public, both before and during a crisis.
d. Communicating Directly with the Masses.
e. Blogs more in next chapter about Social Media.
*) Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2011) Crisis Communications: A Casebook Approach, 4th
Edition E-Book.
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Reference

1. Fearn-Banks, Kathleen (2011) Crisis Communications: A Casebook


Approach, 4th Edition E-Book.

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Course : Crisis Communication (1510CC09)

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