Crisis Communication in a Changing Media World

1. Crisis Communication in a Changing Media World Session 15 Slide Deck Session 15 Slide 15-

2. Session Objectives • Examine mission of an effective disaster communications strategy and the five critical assumptions that serve as the foundation for such a strategy • Discuss historical use of traditional media in emergencies • Discuss role of new media in emergencies  • Discuss evolution of new media use in emergencies Session 15 Slide 15-

3. Introduction • Increasingly-critical function • Timely and accurate information • Mission • Five critical assumptions Session 15 Slide 15-

4. Mission The mission of an effective disaster communications strategy is to provide timely and accurate information to the public in all four phases of emergency management: • Mitigation—to promote implementation of strategies, technologies, and actions that will reduce the loss of lives and property in future disasters.  • Preparedness—to communicate preparedness messages that encourage and educate the public in anticipation of disaster events. • Response—to provide to the pubic notification, warning, evacuation, and situation reports on an ongoing disaster. • Recovery—to provide individuals and communities affected by a disaster with information on how to register for and receive disaster relief. Session 15 Slide 15-

5. Assumptions The foundation of an effective disaster communications strategy is built on the following five critical assumptions: • Customer Focus • Leadership Commitment • Inclusion of Communications in Planning and Operations • Good Information • Media Partnership Session 15 Slide 15-

6. Assumptions: Customer Focus • Focus on customers and customer service • Guide communications with the public and with all partners in emergency management • Placing the needs and interests of individuals and communities first • Being responsive and informative • Managing expectations Session 15 Slide 15-

7. Assumptions: Leadership Commitment • Commitment to sharing information • Endorse open communications • Model behavior Session 15 Slide 15-

8. Assumptions: Leadership Commitment FEMA Director Witt’s Commitment to Communications • Staff meetings • Regular employee newsletter • Available to the media • Daily briefings for media • Meetings with disaster victims • Daily briefings for partners • Regular meetings with state and local emergency managers • Briefings for elected officials • Speaking engagements Session 15 Slide 15-

9. ASSUMPTIONS: Inclusion of Communications in Planning and Operations • Communications specialist included in senior management team • Communications on equal footing with planning and operations • Demand is high for timely and accurate information • How to communicate what is going on critical to all phased of response and recovery Session 15 Slide 15-

10. Assumptions: Situational Awareness • Key to an effective disaster response • Collection, analysis and dissemination of information from the disaster site • Sharing this information is all important Session 15 Slide 15-

11. National Incident Management System FEMA. National Incident Command System: FEMA 501/Draft August 2007. Session 15 Slide 15-

12. Public Information Officer Duties • Gathers, verifies, coordinates and disseminates accurate, accessible and timely information on the incident’s cause, size, and current situation • Resources committed • Other maters of general interest for both internal and external use Session 15 Slide 15-

13. PIO Messages A PIO creates coordinated and consistent messages by collaborating to: • Identify key information • Craft messages • Prioritize messages • Verify accuracy of information • Disseminate messages Session 15 Slide 15-

14. Assumptions: Media Partnership • Primary role in communicating with the public • Greater reach to public • Provide timely and accurate information • Partnership between emergency managers and media Session 15 Slide 15-

15. Effective Media Partnerships Characteristics of an Effective Media Partnership • Communications network • Media access • Define roles • Manage public expectations • Speed the recovery Session 15 Slide 15-

16. Traditional Media Historical use of Traditional Media in Emergencies • Fact of life • Tension between emergency managers and media • Radio • Television • Internet • “First Informers” Session 15 Slide 15-

17. Traditional Media: Radio • Traditional source of emergency news • Pre-disaster broadcast preparedness messages • Post-disaster broadcast response and relief messages to areas without electricity Session 15 Slide 15-

18. Traditional Media: Television • Cable News – 24/7 coverage • Broadcast networks • Reporters and anchors Session 15 Slide 15-

19. New Media Role of New Media in Emergencies • Internet • First Informers • Social Media Session 15 Slide 15-

20. Social Media • New Technologies • Audience participation in news gathering and dissemination • Everyone is a reporter • Traditional media reconsider role in crisis communications • Rumor versus Fact Session 15 Slide 15-

21. Social Media Social Media versus Traditional Media • First informers • Traditional media and government hierarchies • Changing roles Session 15 Slide 15-

22. New Media Evolution of New Media use in Emergencies • Increase in extreme weather • New technologies since 2001 • Rise of citizen Journalists Session 15 Slide 15-

23. Participatory Media • Coming of Age of Participatory Media • 2004 Asian Tsunami • 2005 London Bombings • 2005 Hurricane Katrina Session 15 Slide 15-

24. 2004 Asian Tsunami • Blogs • Websites • Message boards Session 15 Slide 15-

25. 2005 London Bombings • Cell photos • Websites • Flickr Session 15 Slide 15-

26. 2005 Hurricane Katrina • Blogs • Message boards • Bulletin boards • Google Earth and Google Map Session 15 Slide 15-

27. Social Media Recent Events and Social Media • 2006 Java earthquake – mobile phones • 2007 Wildfires in Southern California – citizen generated photos Session 15 Slide 15-