Crise e Media

7/29/2019 Crise e Media

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PrinciplesofCrisisManagement

andMediaHandling

7.12.2012

inHKU

Problem Unhappyencounterswithmedia

Whyaretheyappearwhenyoudontwantthem

and

disappearwhenyouneedthemmost?


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Whyis

there

such

ahuge

gap?

Myanswersare

1. Medialogicyourorganizationlogic

2. Yourpriorityisnottheirpriority

3. Theirfocusmaynotbeyourfocus

1.Whatismedialogic?keyelements

A) Theirmission "Theconstructionofjournalisticideologystartsfromthe

premisethatontheonesideofsocietytherearethepowerful(establishment),whileontheothersidewefindthecommonpeople.Inbetweentherearejournalists,locatedintheregionbetween

those

in

power

and

the

people.

The

journalists

job

is

toservethepeopleandchallengethepowerful(establishment)."

(Petersson&Carlberg1990)

Point1 :Reporterscometo occasion witha

mission/purpose. Theyarenot academic

observersorbystanders


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B.Their

roles

Seriousjournalistsregardthemselvesastheguardianof

thepublicgood, sotheywatchoutformalpractice,

corruption,wasteofpublic resources.

Theyaretherefore biasedinthesensethattheylove

negativestories

Also,theydislikehidingoffactsandindeedhatelies.If

discovered,thepersonwholieswillcomeundersevere

criticism

Point2 :seriousjournalists areboundtobecritical,

sometimescynical.Sowhenyouarebeingquestionedbya

youngreporter, dontfeeldespair.Thereisnothing

personalaboutthecriticalquestions.

C.Theirwayofthinking

Definitionofnews

"Whenadogbitesaman,thatisnotnews,becauseithappenstoooften.Butifamanbitesadog,thatisnews."

ThephrasewascoinedbyAlfredHarmsworth,aBritishnewspaper

magnate,but

is

also

attributed

to

New

York

Sun

editor

John

B.

Bogart(18481921)

Ofcoursethereisanexception duringtheoutbreakofrabies,wewouldtakedogbitingapersonasamajornewsitembecauseitwouldspreadthediseaseandthereforeofmajorpublicconcern.

Point3 :Journalistsloveextremities.Awaytodrawtheir

attentionistouncovernoveltiesforthem.


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D.(know)

Their

limitations

* ontheirreturntothenewsroom,theyhavetocompetefor

timeslotorspaceintomorrownewspaper

AsanEditor,wechooseheadlinestoriesaccordingtothe 2-I approach.

Importance -- how important is this story to the society

Interesting -- how interesting it would be to the readers.

Point4 :helpthejournalists toidentifythe 2-I inyour

storywouldinreturnhelpyourselftohavetheintended

exposure.

SummingUp:Think likethem

Watercancarryboatsbutitcansinkthem

aswell. (,)

Mediaarethesame,theycanhelpyouas

muchas

they

can

destroy

your

reputation.

Crux: thinklikethem.


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PartII:CrisisManagement

DifferentTypesofcrises? Atcommunitylevel 9.11attacks


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Different

Types

of

crises?

(2) Atinstitutionlevel

DifferentTypesofcrises?(3)

Atpersonallevel


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Whatarethedefining

characteristicsofacrisis?

4MainDefiningCharacteristics

1. Triggeringeventstypicallycomeasasurprise (e.g.

arrivalofSARS,arrestofseniorofficials.)

2. Posingthreats tothereputation/security/core

value

of

an

individual/

an

institution/

a

community

(e.g.)

3 Requireimmediateremedialactionsorresponse

(e.g.)

4.Rootcausesusuallyrelatetosystemorpersonal

failures/weakness


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WhatisCrisisManagement? ModifieddefinitionfromWikipedia

Crisismanagement istheprocessbywhichanorganizationdealswithamajor(unexpected)event

thatthreatenstoharmthe(reputation/corevalueofthe )

organization,

its

stakeholders,

or

the

general

public.

Lessons

learned

from

HKUsmishandlingof8.18episode


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RecapHKUs8.18episode

Itbecame apublicoutcryandHKUwasaccused of1) Ingratiating withtherichandthepowerful

2) Failing toprotectits students

3) Failing toprotectfreedom ofexpressionwithinthe

campus

1. Eventscomeasasurprise

(., ) 2. Posingthreatstothereputation/security/corevalueofanindividual/

aninstitution/acommunity

( ?

?

?)

3. Requireimmediateremedialactions

(,?) 4. Rootcausesusuallyrelatetosystemorpersonalfailures/weakness

()

Allinall:allfour elementsmakecrisisverydifficultto

management


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1st

Lesson

1.Youneedthemessenger Reportersmaybeveryaggressiveinthe waytheyask questionsand

couldbeastrongcriticofyouaswellandtheymaybeverypartisan

BUT

Youstillneedthemtoconveythemessageasmostpeoplestillrely

on

the

media

to

get

information

Implicationsforcrisismanagement

1. Dont gotscaredofthepresenceofastrongteamofreportersatyourdoorsteps.Youneedthemtoconveythemessage.

2. Itisthedutyofareportertobecritical/askdifficultquestions()

3. Getthe

facts

first

before

you

talk

to

the

media.

Dont

repeat

ProfessorTsuis(ViceChancellorofHKU)mistake hedidnotevenknowofthepushing ofthestudentintothestairwellwhenhespoketothepress.

4. Face the press with honesty.

(Henry Tangs attempt to hide his illegal basement is good exampleof the need to be honest).

It takes years to build credibility but it requires only a word todestroy it!


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2nd

Lesson

2.InsiderscausemostdamageThegamewiththepressisnotjustanexternalaffair.Moreoftenthannot,thisisanextensionofsomeinhousefighting.

Thesourceofalotofverydamaginginformationisusuallycomingfromunhappyinsiders. Theyarejustusingthepresstocontinuetheinhousefighting.

Thisisverytypicalforbiginstitutions!

Believeitornot? (?)

DeepthroatofWatergate

WatergateScandalledtothedownfall

ofUSPresidentNixonin1974andis

consideredthemasterpieceof

westerninvestigativejournalism

Some30

years

later,

it

was

confirmed

bythereporterconcerned,his

informantisthethenFBIAssociate

Director(),MarkFelt

!!!!

?


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Example:In

case

of

HKU

ThemostdamagingepisodetotheUisthecryingsceneofthestudentafterbeingpushedintothestairwell.

Thecryinginfrontofthecameraimmediate

inflamed

the

strong

resentment

already

existed

amongHKUSU andalumni. EventuallythisbecameapublicrelationsdisasterfortheUniversity.

Implicationsforcrisisprevention

1.Preevent/crisisriskassessment Itisimportanttobemindfulofstrongopinionleadersandtrytocopewiththeirdemandsbeforehand.ThisisthebestwaytopreventaninsiderturnsJudas. Preevent consultationisagoodwaytopreventcrisisasitcanhelptospot

possibleworst

case

scenarios.

2.Inthemiddleofacrisis rememberdontjustfocusyoureffortsonhowtohandletheexternalrelations.Totakegoodcareofinternalstakeholdersareequallyimportant.Anymutinyatthisstagewoulddestroyyourdamagecontrolefforts.


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3rd

Lesson

3.MostCrises areresultsofsomeinternal/personalfailures

Intheformoflackofcoordination.Thisisverycommoninbigbureaucracy.

Key

duties

are

delegated

to

inexperienced

or

incompetentpersonnel.

Inadequateresourcesforabigjob

8.18 crisisrevealedseriousmanagement

problem withinHKU

1. Silo mentality() Oneobviousexampleisthefailuretofindoutquicklyonwhathashappenedtothethreestudentsbeingpushedintothestairwell. ( Ittookthem4daystofindoutthecourseofeventsinthe

stairwell).

Inthefirstfourdays,thecrisismanagementteamdidnotevenasktheirownsecurityguardsonthespot.TheclosecircuitTVthatcapturedthePolicespushingwaskeptontheinitiativeofthesecurityteamandhandedtothetopmanagementonthefifthday!!!!


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4th

Lesson 4.Crisisalwaysbringsaboutopportunitiesto

reform()

Crisisnormallycreatesenormouspoliticalandsocialpressure,thusithelpstosofteninternalresistancetoreformortochangetheusualbut

ineffectiveways

of

doing

things.

Butthewindowofopportunitiesisusuallyveryshort.Theinertiatoreformwillreturnveryquickly.

Implicationsforcrisismanagement

1. Toarrange internalreviewquicklysothatlessonsandstructuralfailurescanbeidentifiedwithoutdelay.

2. Toimplementnecessaryreformswhiletheplateis

hot

3. Crisispreventionisthebestcrisismanagement.Adopttheconceptofriskmanagementinallpolicyformulationprocess.Identifyweaknessbeforehand.

4. Tokeepacrisisresponsemechanisminplaceallthetime.Youwonthavetimetothinkwhencrisisarrivesatyourdoorstep


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Summaryof

my

4messages

1.Youneed themessenger dontgotscaredofthemedia.

2.Insiderscausemostdamage thiscanhelpyoutopreventescalationofcrisis

3.MostCrises areresultsofsomeinternalfailuresthishelpstoidentifytherootcauseandtodevelopappropriateresponses

4.CrisisbringsOpportunitiestoreform thiscouldhelpyoutogetoutofthecrisisstronger

andbetter.

DosandDonts

of

MediaHandling


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Dos..

1.Gatherthesalientfactsasmuchasyoucan:

whathavehappenedwhohasdonewhat.

2.Decideyouractionplan.justissuea

statementortoholdapressconference..

3.Beforeyoumeetthepress,rememberthe

messagesyouwanttosend

4.Anticipatequestionsfromthepressandrehearse

wellbeforemeetingthem

5.Arrange

agood

setting

to

face

the

press

6.Keepyourstatementclearandconcise

7.Repeatyourmessagesnomatterwhatyouareasked.

Donts.

1.Keepsilenceasitimpliesyouhave

somethingtohideandgivinguptherightsto

reply.

2.Dont

hide

or

try

to

cover

camera

3.Dontissuestatementlateatnight

4.Donttrytogivelongandconditional

statement

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Crise e Media