CGM blog: How to avoid media faux pas

21 Nov CGM blog: How to avoid media faux pas

What interesting media times we live in.

Take yesterday, for instance. Three big stories – each engendering differing reactions.

First up, the Rochester and Strood bi-election and Labour front-bencher Emily Thornberry’s ‘Image#Rochester’ photo tweet. No comment, just a photo of a house sporting three St George flags and white van on the drive. By the time the polls had closed, the Islington MP had resigned for espousing a ‘snobby’ metro-centric view of life in ‘real Britain’.

Then Dave Whelan, chairman of Wigan Athletic, a day after appointing new manager Malky Mackay who is still under an FA investigation for sending alleged racist and homophobic emails while managing Cardiff City, allegedly made anti-semitic remarks in an interview with The Guardian, including comments about Jewish people chasing money more than English people (surely English Jews are ‘English people’?).

Between Thornberry’s resignation and Whelan’s later back-tracking statement, there was some more back pedalling, this time from Sheffield United, who announced it would no longer offer convicted rapist and former player, Ched Evans, the opportunity to train with them.

So what media and communication lessons can we learn?

1.  Think before you act

Thornberry became the latest victim to misuse that social media loaded gun, Twitter. No comment, just a photo, but open to interpretation. Just because Twitter is instant, it doesn’t mean you should post as a snap reaction. Plenty of time now for Thornberry to repent at leisure after acting in haste.

2.  Take care with comment

Seek advice and take counsel on how to handle media matters. Sheffield United said they couldn’t have anticipated the public reaction to Evans training with them. Really?

Did Dave Whelan consider espousing a club, corporate or community point of view in (a) appointing Mackay ahead of the FA’s verdict, (b) the tone of language he has used, and (c) implying he could surmise the outcome of the FA investigation, which will add scrutiny for the FA to act with maximum integrity.

3. Perception is reality

You’re not dealing with reality, you’re dealing with perception.

The reality with Ched Evans is that Sheffield United were asked by the Professional Footballers’ Association to allow him to train at the club so he can get fit and possibly resume his career pending the outcome of an appeal to his conviction and in line with the rehabilitation of offenders. He didn’t, and wasn’t ever going to, train with the first team – they badly needed to explain this.

4. The perils of no comment.

By failing to explain themselves clearly and sufficiently, Sheffield United appeared to imply they had something to hide, didn’t care or just looked ineffective at quashing understandable public concern about the possibility of Evans re-joining them. A calm and rational explanation of their actions would be saved so much vitriol. Without painting a complete picture, others filled in the gaps.

4. Act responsibility

Whelan’s views may have a sympathetic ear among those who feel he is simply outdated or a man of his age (77), nonetheless he represents a modern day football club and a community institution which has corporate social responsibility to manage its affairs in a way that is congruent with a sport with policies to dispel racism, anti-semitism, homophobia  and sexism. However strong his ownership of the club is, he should hold to a wider corporate club message.

5. Count the cost and think of the bigger picture 

Thornberry lost her job while both football clubs have been hit hard in the pocket and currently have images in tatters.

Wigan immediately lost their shirt sponsor, Premier Range, have seen board members resign from their community programme (ironically awarded Community Club of the Year last week), and fans who are pledging to stay away. Sheffield United have also lost all kinds of support as patrons have resigned.

Finally, it is easy to point to the errors of high profile people making gaffes in the public eye but businesses and organisations great and small need to think about how they portray themselves and the policies and procedures in place to effectively handle the actions they take, what they say, how they look and what they do in times of crisis.

Chris Green is CGM’s managing director and an award-winning author and journalist. CGM provides a media relations service to businesses and organisations and media training courses to encourage people to maximise their profile.