Transcript Document

Today We Are Going to…
• Discuss the difference between a crisis and an
emergency
• Explain the MOT’s crisis communications philosophy
• Look at how the media landscape has changed
• Dissect how stories travel and how consumers now
campaign for action
• Teach practical steps for dealing with a crisis
• Apply this information to case studies
A Moment of Clarity
• Crisis (kri’sis) n. pl. -ses (-sez’) 1. A. A crucial or
decisive point or situation; turning point. B. An
unstable condition in political, international, or
economic affairs in which an abrupt or decisive
change is impending.
Warren Buffet
“
“
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five
minutes to ruin it. If you stop and think about
that you’ll do things differently.
The Ultimate “Spokesperson”
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism is the most visible government
department and is asked to speak on behalf of the entire country
whether the issue is a shark bite, malaria, rape, incidents with
gay and lesbian visitors, drive-by shootings, visitor arrests,
Legionnaire’s disease, alleged Avian Flu, riot on Bimini, coastal
development, jet ski accidents, water sports legislation, general
crime, murder ….
In reality, the MOT must protect the reputation of
the destination even though it is often not the
appropriate spokesperson for the issue.
Goals
1.
To prevent a bad situation from getting worse
2.
To protect residents
3.
To protect visitors
4.
To minimize economic impact
5.
To protect the integrity of the brand
The Islands Of The Bahamas Crisis
Communication Philosophy
• In a crisis, destination/industry partners are at risk
• Protecting guests, residents and associates is paramount
• Full disclosure is the most important principle
• Timely and accurate response to the media is key
• Remember, if you don’t tell your story, the media will
produce its own version – which may be inaccurate
Philosophy
• If you don’t comment, the media will seek information from
other, possibly hostile, sources, or non-traditional sources, like
blogs (Internet gossip and banter)
• Silence sparks rumors, implies guilt
• Information is the key to control of the situation
• You must uphold the law and cooperate with local, national and
international authorities
• We must also provide full and timely disclosure of facts that the
community has a right to know
A Reality Check
• The truth is out there
• You must work with the media
• Short term revenue loss is no match for long term loyalty
(just look at Tylenol)
• Nothing is off the record
• Companies media train their executives, but it is the person on
the front line who is often targeted by news outlets
Containing a Story v. Creating a Story
Proactive vs. Reactive
• In times of crisis, there are proactive approaches or reactive
approaches
• A proactive approach is when the spokesperson takes action on
his/her own to address a situation before it hits the news
• A reactive response is, literally, reacting to media and public
queries
• It is important NOT to be proactive and thus CREATE news
when it is not warranted. A proactive approach should only be
taken when large-scale implications are at stake
• In a 24/7 news cycle, you do not want to create “content”
Newt Gingrich
“
“
If Thomas Edison invented electric light today,
Dan Rather would report it on the CBS Evening
News as, “Candle-making industry threatened”.
The New News
• Remember the turn-of-the century caveat about how cable
had revolutionized the news cycle by turning it into a 24-hour
a day beast that demanded to be fed? Quaint.
• The evening news, the morning paper, its companion web
site have been profoundly influenced by emerging media
• 80 percent of traditional journalists surf the web looking for
story ideas -- this includes blogs
• Television doesn’t just offer a tip line, they encourage viewers
to upload their own footage of “news”
• The first report and photo from the recent crash of US
Airways flight 1549 moved on Twitter not AP
The New Newsman…or Newsperson
• May never have gone to journalism school
• May never have to vet a story or verify sources
• May never have even read the New York Times
• May syndicate his own commentary via his Facebook
page with video hosted on YouTube
• He is the citizen journalist … and he has the attention
of traditional media
The New Media
Traditional media is now incorporating tools like Twitter,
Facebook and YouTube to cover events.
CNN anchors are participating in social media forums,
tracking comments and addressing them in their
broadcasts. Twitter comments crawl across the
bottom of the screen. On the scene “reporting” now
includes the voice of the public.
Some Things Stay the Same
There are a few things about that 24-hour news cycle
that are still the same
• Cable news still must be fed
• Newspapers still cover crises -- they just sound
more like Gawker doing it
• Tabloid journalism is alive and well
• It is still an extremely efficient way of communicating
a story to the broadest possible audience
Bad news travels fast.
English Proverb
No Such Thing as a Local Story
What happens on the high seas doesn’t stay
on the high seas
The 21st Century Newsflash
• Half the gadgets in the modern traveler’s carry-on -or just an iPhone -- have transformed them into
potential on-the-scene reporters
• They can do everything from calling customer service
to blogging their complaint, to tweeting to the cybermob to “iReporting” directly to CNN -- potentially all
from the same device
SXSW: Zuckerberg Keynote Descends into
Chaos as Audience Takes Over
-Wired.com
John F. Kennedy
“
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When written in Chinese the word crisis is
composed of two characters -- one represents
danger, the other represents opportunity.
Basic Steps for Every “Crisis”
1. Identify the crisis
2. Get the facts
3. Notify key people
4. Notify crucial publics
5. Assign a media spokesperson
6. Respond to the media and be accessible
(a) Take control of story
(b) Craft the statement
(c) Deliver the statement
Practical Steps for Every Crisis
No man is an island, even if you live on one
• Immediately notify Nassau office
• Log and forward all media queries to Nassau to be
addressed by designated spokesperson
• Communicate as appropriate with local stakeholders
• Assist them with effectively executing their own crisis
plan; ensure that ALL front line employees
understand what to do and what not to say
Why is This Critical?
Crisis Guidelines: Management
• Prioritize
• Control and centralize communications
• Gather facts and information
• Log all media queries and forward to Nassau
• Work with all authorities, associations
• Take responsibility
• Make crisis counseling available, if needed
• Resume normal operating as quickly as possible
Crisis Guidelines: Communiqués
• Dedicated spokesperson
• Releases/statements
• Media alerts
• Phone, TV, radio, print interviews
• Satellite media conference
• E-mail/web page/blogs
• Dedicated phone lines
• News research in “real time”
Crisis Management To Dos
Nassau
MOT Field Offices
Gather facts
Gather facts
Notify crisis team
Notify Nassau
Monitor media and assess
need for statement
Coordinate with local authorities
to contain situation
Notify key partners
Assign spokesperson
Work with local partners,
if needed, to minimize
speculation
Take control of story
Log and forward media queries
What to Do: Malaria, etc.
Nassau
MOT Field Offices
Confirm facts
Gather facts
Activate crisis team
Confer with local clinics,
RBPF, etc. for updates
Confer with Ministry of Health,
Dept. of Environment
Monitor for coverage
Assess need for
internal/external statements
Regular updates to Nassau
Work to control local speculation
and spread of rumors by working
with local stakeholders
Brief hotel GMs on situation,
encourage hotels to
communicate appropriately
with staff
What to Do: Malaria, etc.
Nassau
MOT Field Offices
Designate spokesperson
Provide internal statement with
key points
External media outreach as
limited as possible
Inaccurate reports addressed
tactically to limit spread of story
Log and forward media
requests
Reference internal talking
points in managing local
stakeholders
Anatomy of an “Attack” on the MOT
Marcus Groh Austrian
Lawyer bitten by shark
in Bahaminan waters
Sun-Sentinel, Miami
Herald, local TV
Associated Press
Airlifted to Florida
Dive blogs
Dies in hospital
Should shark dives be
banned in The Bahamas?
MOT receives repeated
requests for comment on
myriad issues
TIME magazine
article unites
traditional and nontraditional media in
consumer campaign
aimed at MOT
Shark dives should
remain legal, really
support for dive operator
MOT receives hundreds
of emails from
consumers
Anatomy of an “Attack” on the MOT
Overview
• 1st fatality of its kind in The Bahamas
• Dive operator well known to media, photography and diving
community
• Austrian diver, Florida business, Bahamian water
Media
• Story spread internationally within hours
• Coverage on Associated Press, Reuters, Florida print and
television, CNN, Larry King Live, Today Show, MSNBC
• Video (think of the file footage) on major outlet web sites
Anatomy of an “Attack” on the MOT
Key issues
• MOT immediately asked for comment on the specific
incident and broader issue of shark feeding dives
Strategy
• MOT delayed comment as long as possible as Ports
Dept. and Marine Resources are the agencies with
oversight for this issue
• BDA/Neal Watson commented early and then ceased
giving interviews
Anatomy of an “Attack” on the MOT
STATEMENT ON SHARK BITE IN THE BAHAMAS
FROM THE BAHAMAS MINISTRY OF TOURISM
NASSAU, The Bahamas, Feb. 28, 2008 –
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism extends condolences to the family and friends of Markus
Groh. Mr. Groh, a 49 year old Austrian, succumbed to injuries he sustained Feb. 24 while
participating in an interactive shark dive off the commercial diving boat the Shear Water.
The Shear Water is operated by Scuba Adventures from Riviera Beach, Florida and is
registered with the Port Department of The Bahamas to offer live aboard dive excursions
within Bahamian waters. Shark feeding excursions are legal in The Bahamas, but the
Ministry of Tourism does not establish the laws regulating the maritime industry or marine
resources.
As is routine for a maritime incident, the Port Department and the Royal Bahamas Police
Force will conduct an investigation to determine the facts.
The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism is unable to comment further while the appropriate
authorities are making their investigations.
Anatomy of an “Attack” on the MOT
When Adventure
Tourism Kills
By Siobhan Morrissey
Monday, Mar. 03, 2008
No one goes on an adventure tour with the thought that he won't make it back
alive. The whole point is to push the envelope and live to tell the tale. It's
unclear what Markus Groh thought when he signed up for a late February dive
that could put him face-to-face with killer sharks spanning 18 feet in length ﾑ
without a cage to separate him from the man-eaters. He surely didn't expect to
end up dead. But the 49-year-old attorney from Austria, died on Feb. 24 after
being bitten in the leg while swimming with the sharks in the Bahamas.
Sign Petition to Support Shark Diving in the Bahamas
Anatomy of an “Attack” on the MOT
•
This is still an active issue
•
There are still interested parties waiting for some pronouncement
on whether shark feeding/diving will remain legal
•
Your e-mail addresses are still on the Internet, you may get
inquiries for some time
•
What does that mean in practical terms?
•
If you answer a casual e-mail query, “There is no word yet on
whether shark diving will remain legal in The Bahamas.” You have
just provided material for a new blog post; you have just become
the Bahamian authority in “Bahamian authorities have said there is
no decision yet……”
Crisis Guidelines: Spokespeople
• Always be truthful
• If you do not know the answer to a question, say so, and
promise to get back with the information as soon as possible
• Be well prepared
• Assume everything is ON THE RECORD
• Log everything
• Repeat key themes and messages throughout the interview
• Think of journalists as intermediaries, not your audience
• Do not let reporters put words in your mouth
• You do not have to answer every question
Crisis Guidelines: Spokespeople
• Respect deadlines, but do not be driven by them
• Stay within your area of knowledge and authority
• Politely correct false assumptions or erroneous facts
• Offer “third-party” sources
• Avoid hypothetical questions
• Do not engage in speculation
• Do not make personal comments
• Stop, think and correct your answer or statement
Dedication to a Single Spokesperson
An accident happens involving boating or fishing or diving. You
immediately receive a call from a reporter you are familiar with from
sports shows, why refer them to Nassau when you know them?
• You may not have the latest information
• You may not have the current approved statement
• You may well compromise your future relationship with the
reporter who will expect you to speak “on background” or
comment beyond the scope of your authority which YOU
CANNOT
• Use protocol to protect yourself
Ministry of Education Crisis Outline
The Ministry should establish an action plan for
addressing crises that ensures centralized
communication from spokespeople appropriate to the
situation.
• Notify authorities: health, fire, police, etc.
• Identify key stakeholder groups: parents,
administrators, neighbors
• Designate spokesperson and local points of contact
• Outline chain of command
• Establish media policy
Media Policy
It is critical to determine in each case who can most
accurately and appropriately respond to issues. It is
easy to overstep when speaking to the media – they
count on it.
• Ministry of Education can only comment within the
scope of its authority and must collaborate with
health, fire, police and labor officials as necessary
• Do not speculate, for example, on the cause of a
disease outbreak. Stick to confirmed facts and defer
to the expertise of the Ministry of Health
What to Do: Disease Outbreak
• Notify health authorities; confirm spokespeople
• Gather and confirm facts
• Inform parents
• Activate crisis team and plan to evaluate risk, contain
exposure and safeguard children
Goal: Stabilize situation and assure key stakeholders
that all efforts are being made to treat affected
children, prevent further outbreak, maintain safety of
the surrounding community and ensure a safe return
to the classroom.
What to Do: Roof Collapse
• Notify rescue, building, health authorities; confirm
spokespeople
• Gather and confirm facts
• Inform parents
• Activate crisis team and plan to coordinate
rescue/treatment efforts and secure location
Goal: Stabilize situation and assure key stakeholders
that proper medical response is underway, all
possible measures taken to prevent further collapse,
danger contained.
What to Do: Crime on Campus
• Notify police (possibly medical) authorities; confirm
spokespeople
• Gather and confirm facts
• Inform parents; advise local community as necessary
• Activate crisis team and plan to coordinate
investigation and secure location
Goal: Stabilize situation and assure key stakeholders
that threat to community has been contained,
investigation underway, any necessary emergency
response executed appropriately.
What to Do: Strike by Teachers
• Consult with labor authorities; confirm spokespeople
• Gather and confirm facts
• Inform parents; advise local community as necessary
• Activate crisis team and plan to provide timely status
updates
Goal: Stabilize situation and assure key stakeholders
that Ministry of Education is working to resolve issues
and the public will be kept informed.
More often a crisis is limited to one island, it’s
an isolated incident, it is unanticipated, you
must react quickly, but prudently…and then
there is the crisis drill we know best of all….
The Islands Of The Bahamas and Hurricanes
Overview
– Hurricanes are a predictable threat for which the Ministry of
Tourism has a practiced approach, before during and after
storm
Ministry of Tourism procedure
– MOT and task force monitor developments throughout islands
– Communicate at appropriate intervals to gather information and
determine strategy
– Distribute internal alerts and media alerts regarding tourism
infrastructure as appropriate
– Secure interview opportunities with Weather Conference
alumni, travel editors, etc. so that destination can speak for
itself
The Islands Of The Bahamas and Hurricanes
What MOT offices can help hotels do
• Update BHA or MOT on preparation, occupancy status,
storm damage/impact
• Designate a spokesperson and unified script to field
inquiries specific to property
• Do not comment on storm impact on the destination as
a whole or broader tourism interests
• Refer broad or general inquiries to the MOT for
response
The Islands Of The Bahamas and Hurricanes
Key messages to remember:
• The Islands Of The Bahamas takes hurricanes seriously and
strives to protect residents and visitors
• With 100,000 square miles of ocean, a hurricane within The
Bahamas’ territorial waters, rarely disrupts the experience of a
majority of visitors
• The Islands Of The Bahamas have strong building codes and
techniques
• Hotels have well rehearsed preparedness plans should a
hurricane threaten
Case Study:
Aruba – Natalee Holloway Disappearance
Overview
– Disappearance of young, attractive woman at end of high school
graduation trip
– High-profile U.S. coverage; grass roots activities; boycotts
Key Factors
– Conflicted Dutch/Aruban actions at onset set tone for coverage
– Aruban authorities lost credibility early on and then lost control of story
– Media coverage driven by sustained, grassroots campaign
– Negative consensus in journalist community re: “cover-up”
Lessons Learned
– Maintaining credibility is key to successful crisis management
– Utilize key resources (e.g. FBI, Amber Alert) that resonate with key
audiences
Case Study:
Bimini – Alice Town Murder
Overview
–
Gruesome murder of young Austrian couple
–
Limited and short lived U.S. and international media coverage
Key Factors
– Communications by government officials focused on process and showcased
empathy
– Media perceived communications regarding the investigation as transparent
– Successful investigation generated positive perceptions of local authorities
– Swift resolution helped to contain crisis and limited duration of story
Lesson Learned
– Consistent and transparent communications key to managing media during
crises
Case Study:
Paradise Island – Paul Gallagher/Boat Accident
Overview
– British child killed by speedboat driven by unlicensed operator
Key Factors
– Media perception of inadequate governmental response provided platform for
continuous U.K. media scrutiny and coverage
– Disagreements between local authorities and British investigators amplified
media attention
– Negative perception of Bahamian authorities due to “delayed” enforcement of
safety standards and regulations
– Media perceived slow response as evidence of apparent “cover-up”
Lesson Learned
– Important to take rapid & appropriate action – at onset of crisis – and
demonstrate fundamental commitment to addressing the underlying issue
Case Study:
Malaria Outbreak on Exuma
Overview
– U.S. citizen diagnosed with malaria after visit to Great Exuma
Key Factors
– Inaccurate AP Nassau stringer filing spread localized story
– Bahamas officials focused on aggressive effort to test, treat and contain
outbreak
– Bahamas pronouncement put facts on record and stressed geographic
limitation of CDC travel advisory
Lessons Learned
– Concentration on correcting inaccurate reporting through follow up with
specific outlets and reference to one public release from MOT helped
minimize threat to economy, particularly outside of Exuma
Case Study:
The New York Times and The Blog
Overview
– New York Times writes story on NY subways, does side bar on Bahamas
ad campaign based on one person in a “blog”
– One person now a source of news in credible paper that reaches
1.4 million people
Key Factors
– Personal opinion drives story, provides source
– Bahamas story not told, nor that approvals by subway were approved
– Bahamas seen as trying to “pull a fast one” on BY subway system
Lessons Learned
– Trace source, correct information, and in this case….
– Issue broad release that Bahamas is culturally sensitive, but ads were also
being stolen from subways….turn into positive with free ad campaign for
the New Yorkers who love the ads.
Case Study:
Royal Caribbean and the Missing Honeymooner
Overview
-
Groom of young newlyweds missing on ship, blood on life boat…obvious
that he went overboard
Key Factors
– Media covers the grieving widow, FBI investigation hampers cruise line from
releasing information
– Multitude of authorities lead to confusion, media plays up jurisdiction issues
– Royal Caribbean perceived as slow to respond, as if covering up incident or
being indifferent
Lessons Learned
– Important to get your side of story out fast with credible spokespeople (CEO,
Captain) and give dates, times and proof of actions
– Media sees these stories as content/programming…the truth or resolution is
irrelevant
Key Objectives
• Move the story off the front page
• Balance the story with the truth
• Be credible and responsible at all times
• Companies, products and brands take years,
decades, centuries to build their credibility and
loyalty….as well as millions of dollars….all it
takes is one poorly handled crisis to bring it all
down—instantly
Quick Action List
1
2
3
Immediately take action by calling the MOT
Do NOT comment, speculate or
assume anything
Remember: Nothing is “off the record”
Appendix
Quick Reference Crisis Checklists
Crisis Checklist
• The Crisis Itself
• What happened?
• How was the crisis discovered?
• Who sounded the alarm?
• Who was responsible (if known)?
• Has this ever happened before?
Crisis Checklist
• Casualties
• Number of injured, sick, dead
• Extent of injuries or illness
• Care administered, by whom
• Number of people affected
Crisis Checklist
Property/Environment
• Description of damage
• Estimated dollar value lost
• Estimated clean-up cost
• Additional property/environment threats
• Estimate till open/back to normal
Crisis Checklist
Relief/Investigation
• What organizations are involved?
• Who’s in charge?
• Special equipment in use?
• Obstacles to resolution?
• Precautions being taken?
• Heroes and goats, contact info
Crisis Checklist
Related Issues
• Airports operating?
• Ports, hotel, restaurant open?
• Power, phones?
• Spectators, attitudes, crowd control?
• Media on scene?
Crisis Checklist
Legal and Financial Implications
• Inquests, coroner’s reports
• Police reports, international agencies
• Regulatory reports, inspections
• Insurance claims
Crisis Checklist
Safety Issues
• What is being done to protect visitors, residents?
• What are the chances of this happening again?
• Is the site safe (per the experts)?