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Crisis Communications

Crisis Communications. JOHN TOKER Director of Communications for Security and Intelligence. Media pressure.........what to expect.......London Bombings 2005. Within first 10 days Metropolitan Police Press Bureau dealt with 8,000 media enquiries

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Crisis Communications

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  1. Crisis Communications JOHN TOKER Director of Communications for Security and Intelligence

  2. Media pressure.........what to expect.......London Bombings 2005 • Within first 10 days Metropolitan Police Press Bureau dealt with 8,000 media enquiries • Over 200 press statements issued between 7/7 – 1/8 • 27 updates on 7/7 alone • 500 e-mails sent out to the media • 25 press conferences/briefings • Almost 400 one-to-one interviews • 1.5million hits on the MPS Internet site on 7/7 • 45 press/publicity officers deployed

  3. IN ADVANCE OF ANY CRISIS • EXERCISES.......help to develop • TEAM WORKING......helps to create • CONFIDENCE and EXPERIENCE...help to develop • LEADERSHIP • KEY ROLES • KEY TASKS........help to expose • GAPS AND VULNERABILITIES.........leads to • COMPREHENSIVE CHECK LISTS OF ACTIONS

  4. WHEN THE CRISIS HAPPENS.....A PRESS OFFICE SHOULD BE • The FOCAL POINT for all internal and external communications • The “GO TO” point of contact for the media • The HOLDER of the Core Script and Key Messages • The UPDATER of website/twitter/press notices • The MONITOR of what is happening in the media

  5. THE HEAD OF PRESS SHOULD BE • The LINK between Press Office and Departmental Officials • The TRUSTED VOICE on all media handling issues • AWARE of the developing communication needs • CHALLENGING over potential conflicts between Strategy/Policy/Communications

  6. Government News Co-ordination Centre. Role In a Crisis • Operates as the cross Government Press Office for the incident. • Co-ordinates all requests for Ministerial interviews and visits. • Can set up recorded Public Information Lines/websites/emergency text pages • Produces daily “Top Lines Brief” for messages and briefing across Government.

  7. NEWS CO-ORDINATION CENTRE – LONDON BOMBINGS • Staffed from 1015 on 7/7 • NCC activated by 1100 • Fully operational as a Press Office by 1400 • Worked 24/7 for 8 days • Over 100 staff brought in from all areas of Government communications

  8. Shared Core Script Top Lines Brief - Containing Latest Information, Emergency Number, Website Details, Ministerial Comments COBR Communications COBR/NCC Core Script Top Lines Govt Departments & Stakeholders RICU

  9. VOICES IN A CRISIS.......WHY WE NEED A CORE SCRIPT • PRIME MINISTER • DEFENCE SECRETARY • MILITARY SENIOR COMMAND • HOME SCECRETARY • FOREIGN SECRETARY • ATTORNEY GENERAL • COMMUNITIES SECRETARY • OTHER MINISTERS • CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE • SECURITY AGENCIES • WELL MEANING “OTHERS”

  10. Working with the Media (a checklist) • Statements • Regular press conferences • One to one interviews with designated spokespeople • Pooled media facilities • Release of images/pictures • E-mail updates • Website • Internal communication • Off record briefings • Guidance • Voluntary news blackout • Developing trust and understanding

  11. Language – Key Messages • Terrorism is a real and serious threat to us all. • Terrorists are criminals and murderers; they attack the values that we all share. • We all need to work together to tackle the terrorist challenge.

  12. Key Lessons • Importance of building networks in advance. • Rapid response essential- our first alert system very valuable. • Central co-ordination arrangements cross Government essential. • Benefits of working (and exercising) with the media – vital for getting our message out quickly. • Greater use by us of the Internet.

  13. BASIC RULES • Keep it Truthful (If you Don't Know then Don't Guess) • Keep it Simple (Don’t get involved in predicting outcomes) • Keep it Short • Keep it Updated

  14. Contact Information JOHN TOKER Director of Communications for Security and Intelligence 22 Whitehall London SW1A 2WH john.toker@cabinet-office.x.gsi.gov.uk TEL: 020 7276 0424 MOB: 07860 678864

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