CGM blog: Managing a media crisis

22 Oct CGM blog: Managing a media crisis

On the basis that a media crisis can wipe out your entire business if not handled properly – and/or if  you’ve taken CGM’s five-question media crisis test, here are some additional thoughts you may wish to consider.

The first thing is not to fall into the trap one particular businessman asked when I spoke to him about the value of media crisis planning.

“Tell me the crisis, I’ll show you how I will handle it”. That’s kind of missing the point, I explained.

The  nature of a crisis is that you cannot predict exactly what it will be, how it will emerge or when it will happen. But you can assess the risks of what could go wrong and how you can minimise the damage to your reputation.

No one could have predicted that a badly timed and ill-judged joke by jewellery retailer Gerald Ratner, who described his company’s wares as ‘crap’ at an after dinner speech, would plunge the High Street chain into terminal decline.

Doing as many of the right things to publicly repair the damage done is crucial. Having a pre-prepared plan in place and a team you can assemble is also vital.

Here are five procedural things you can do:

1. Never say ‘no comment’. Say you’ll investigate the matter,  that you care and take ethics and standards seriously – then shape an appropriate response. That may still be no comment – but at least you’ve assessed the risk. ‘No comment’ sounds like ‘don’t care’, ‘can’t be bothered’ or ‘something to hide’. It’s no defence.

2. Manage the crisis. Form a team to manage the differing aspects so you form a swift response – this should be a pre-prepared plan with a well oiled process in place to cope. Your team could consist of the many people including the company owner/MD/CEO; operations manager (or whoever is in charge of the part of the business where the incident occurred); your public relations advisor, consultant or manager – to liaise with the media; and the company lawyer to advise on legal issues.

3. Tell people you’re managing it. Issue a holding statement and explain to journalists that you need time to investigate the matter and will get back to them as soon as possible. Also update your website, social media and any other public portals. Let people know!

4.Get ready. While you are investigating what may have happened, work on shaping your response. Company spokesmen need to be briefed for interviews they will give and tough questioning. Statements such as a press release/media advisory (whichever is appropriate) need to be prepared. Time is of the essence. You don’t bury a crisis – you manage it and must act swiftly to dampen it.

5. Turn a negative in to positive. So when it is time to respond you do so with calm and authority. There may be many outcomes (and none may be wholly satisfactory) but how you handle it will be remembered and respected.

You may have to ‘fess up, admit a mistake has been made, action has been taken and thanks for bringing it to our attention. There may be no case to answer – in which case you don’t gloat, but can understand the confusion and, hey, thanks for bringing in it to our attention.

There could be partial blame or other mixed circumstances – so you explain your company’s involvement, say  what happened, that you’ll  work with your partners to correct things and learn lessons for the future and, hey, thanks for bringing it to our attention.

These are, of course, only starting points for dealing with a media crisis. To find out how to handle a media crisis in detail, how to shape a plan and to deliver the various elements why not attend our forthcoming one day seminar. For further details and how to book see Media crisis management

Chris Green is CGM’s managing director and an award-winning author and journalist. CGM is an all round communications business proving media relations, media training, consultancy and coaching;  creative and publishing services to companies, business leaders and organisations.