KNEC 2016 July exam, human and public relations section B Q11
Explain six ways in which the public relations department of an organization can facilitate the media to report accurately during a crisis.
When a company is undergoing a major crisis, its public relations department will be required to create an appropriate press release that can restore the firm’s brand image. These are some of the ways in which the PR department can facilitate the media to report accurately during a crisis.
1) Provide information promptly to the media. In this case, the company’s PR team should contact the media immediately to avoid any lag in communication. The team should tell the media exactly what happened and reassure the public of an immediate action to restore their trust.
2) Cooperate: the PR team should look for media influencers and cooperate with them in reporting the crisis to the public.
3) Appoint a response team. The public relations department should choose a team of 2-3 individuals who will speak with the media on behalf of the company. These people should be competent and have authority to represent the company in the media briefing.
4) Speaking consistently and with one voice: the appointed PR team should speak clearly about the company’s position to reflect the position of the entire company on the issue.
5) Establish a protocol to manage the crisis effectively. Not everyone can speak on behalf of the company. Each member of the PR department should understand their responsibilities as well as the company’s position on the crisis.
6) Create a press release statement or message for the media. The company should quickly craft a message that reflects the company’s position and release them to the media.
