9. When disaster strikes
• Don’t say ‘no comment’
• Forget trying to keep it quiet
• Nominate a spokesperson
• Tell your staff the score
• Treat all media equally
• Prepare a statement
10. Press statement: damage limitation
• Stick to the facts
• Honesty the best
policy
• Give enough info
• Don’t bury bad news
• Say ‘sorry’
• Keep it simple
• Add quotes
• Avoid jargon
• Add Editor’s notes
• Contact details
• Send to staff
• Your website
• Pictures?
13. Talking to journalists
• Get name, number
and email
• What info do they
have already?
• Challenge false
assumptions
• When is story going
in?
• When to respond?
• How to respond?
• Where to respond?
• Radio: live or pre-
recorded?
• Simple statements
• Don’t fill silences
• Speak at 100wpm
• Be confident, in
control
• Practise in advance
14. Don’t be flippant
“I lost my business, my £650,000 salary and £500 million was wiped
off the valuation of the company overnight,” Gerald Ratner
15. Think before you sink
“I want my life back,” Tony Hayward, former BP CEO
16. When the story’s ‘all wrong’
• Two sides to every story
• Press release won’t be used
verbatim
• Is article fair?
• Ask for a correction, follow-up
• Use Letters page
• Use your own website
• Don’t be rude, be realistic
17. Turn bad news to your advantage
Use it to build positive PR
Presentation: not about free advertising. Build your image, reputation, public profile in editorial columns.
Manipulate press. Doing your own PR.
Who hates the press, loves it? Good experience? Failures and successes?
Never been a better time to do your own PR.
Regional news industry today: credit crunch; internet; LA Times; ITV regional news cuts; editorial cuts
Newspapers are therefore delighted to receive you news.
Balloon launch – NO!
Balloon launch – NO!
Balloon launch – NO!
Balloon launch – NO!
Balloon launch – NO!
Presentation: not about free advertising. Build your image, reputation, public profile in editorial columns. Manipulate press. Your own PR.
Who hates the press, loves it? Good experience? Failures and successes?
Regional news industry today: credit crunch; internet; LA Times; ITV regional news cuts; editorial cuts