Crisis Communications Sanjana Hattotuwa Senior Researcher, Centre for Policy Alternatives

Preparing for the impossible Develop communications strategies Develop scenario planning with worst case scenarios Have designated personnel to handle crisis communications Build media awareness at all levels and operational frameworks of the organisation

Develop communications strategies

Develop scenario planning with worst case scenarios

Have designated personnel to handle crisis communications

Build media awareness at all levels and operational frameworks of the organisation

Why crisis communications matters Current operational context in Sri Lanka NGO hostile media, government Panic exacerbates the problem, as does a lack of planning Lives may be at risk Fallout can affect entire sector

Current operational context in Sri Lanka

NGO hostile media, government

Panic exacerbates the problem, as does a lack of planning

Lives may be at risk

Fallout can affect entire sector

Common Sense Guidelines Anticipate Acknowledge Articulate & Communicate Do the right thing, and be seen to be doing it Be aggressive & open No “no comment” (gives the impression that you have something to hide)

Anticipate

Acknowledge

Articulate & Communicate

Do the right thing, and be seen to be doing it

Be aggressive & open

No “no comment” (gives the impression that you have something to hide)

Common Sense Guidelines Monitor media - esp. what’s important in your work (how it is reported, by whom, how often, qualitative as well as quantitative, ask around, read online as well as mainstream) Engage with journalists - but not with a view to buy them. Careful, honest discussion. Remember - off the record usually doesn’t work in SL! Media reports - CPA (PCI), FMM media reports, market research

Monitor media - esp. what’s important in your work (how it is reported, by whom, how often, qualitative as well as quantitative, ask around, read online as well as mainstream)

Engage with journalists - but not with a view to buy them. Careful, honest discussion.

Remember - off the record usually doesn’t work in SL!

Media reports - CPA (PCI), FMM media reports, market research

Common Sense Guidelines Try to understand, then respond. No knee jerk reactions, no set pieces, no stock comments Train personnel - the media WILL get answers, make sure they are YOURS Brief partners and stakeholders, keep them in the loop as much as you can

Try to understand, then respond.

No knee jerk reactions, no set pieces, no stock comments

Train personnel - the media WILL get answers, make sure they are YOURS

Brief partners and stakeholders, keep them in the loop as much as you can

Media: Friend or Foe? Neither - they are impartial, and have to be In reality, they are not impartial Media is intensely oppositional Media shapes public opinion - “terrorists”, “pariah”, “LTTE sympathiser”, “NGO crow”, “Dollar crow”, “unpatriotic”, “traitor” Regular interaction with media as opposed to response driven interactions - put situation reports, updates on work, personal reflections, positive human interest stories Engage! (and keep a record of all interactions…)

Neither - they are impartial, and have to be

In reality, they are not impartial

Media is intensely oppositional

Media shapes public opinion - “terrorists”, “pariah”, “LTTE sympathiser”, “NGO crow”, “Dollar crow”, “unpatriotic”, “traitor”

Regular interaction with media as opposed to response driven interactions - put situation reports, updates on work, personal reflections, positive human interest stories

Engage! (and keep a record of all interactions…)

First 24 hours Create an operations centre - hotline, key personnel, equipment, access, lines of communication, trust and independence Understand the issue, recognise the positions - address the issue Gear up partners to respond, and encourage them to issue statements and activate their own PR, media strategies Keep in mind the vernacular media - translation vital, and needs to be accurate

Create an operations centre - hotline, key personnel, equipment, access, lines of communication, trust and independence

Understand the issue, recognise the positions - address the issue

Gear up partners to respond, and encourage them to issue statements and activate their own PR, media strategies

Keep in mind the vernacular media - translation vital, and needs to be accurate

First 24 hours Communicate: Core values (vision, mission) History Reputation (partnerships, collaboratives) The reasons behind the action (why it is important) Safeguards taken and due diligence measures Key message Admit any wrongdoing AND what measures will be taken for redress, within what time frame, and led by whom Contact details (tel / mobile / fax / email / webpage)

Communicate:

Core values (vision, mission)

History

Reputation (partnerships, collaboratives)

The reasons behind the action (why it is important)

Safeguards taken and due diligence measures

Key message

Admit any wrongdoing AND what measures will be taken for redress, within what time frame, and led by whom

Contact details (tel / mobile / fax / email / webpage)

Do you respond at all? Will it blow over? Crisis vs. bad / negative publicity Respond accordingly - response based on media monitoring, consulting partners, and media / communications team within the organisation

Will it blow over?

Crisis vs. bad / negative publicity

Respond accordingly - response based on media monitoring, consulting partners, and media / communications team within the organisation

More resources Voices of Reconciliation programme: Crisis Communications resources: http://voicesofpeace.lk/?q=en/node/366 Access to a Voice: Communications Planning for Civil Society and Community-Based Organisations , a comprehensive handbook on communications strategies for NGOs, CBOs and CSOs, can be found here - http://voicesofpeace.lk/?q=en/Accees New media - Groundviews - www.groundviews.lk (blogs) and VOR Radio - radio.voicesofpeace.lk (podcasts)

Voices of Reconciliation programme:

Crisis Communications resources: http://voicesofpeace.lk/?q=en/node/366

Access to a Voice: Communications Planning for Civil Society and Community-Based Organisations , a comprehensive handbook on communications strategies for NGOs, CBOs and CSOs, can be found here - http://voicesofpeace.lk/?q=en/Accees

New media - Groundviews - www.groundviews.lk (blogs) and VOR Radio - radio.voicesofpeace.lk (podcasts)

Thank you