Media Relationships EPR-Public Communications

Transcript:Media Relationships EPR-Public Communications:
Media Relationships EPR-Public Communications L-012 Objective An overview of how various media work and how to identify key media; Establishing and maintaining working relationships with the media. Outline Overview; Key media for radiation emergencies; Establishing relationships. Overview Mass media can be a useful channel to communicate emergency related information; Media do not just transmit information; they determine what will be reported according to their agenda; Media act as the voice of the public—raising concerns in the public interest; In the initial stages of the emergency, media tend to report factually with information provided; At some point, however, usually once the urgent phase has passed, media will begin to question why the situation occurred and who may have been responsible; They may also criticize the response itself, if there are any delays with providing information or action to protect the public. Overview – Continued Mass media: Print media—daily and weekly newspapers, specialty publications, and magazines; Electronic media—radio, television, Internet; Newswire services. The news cycle: Increasingly 24/7 for all media types; Most major daily newspapers have online editions that are updated regularly. New media—blogs, social networking sites, Twitter, etc. Overview – Continued Characteristics to consider: Print Media More details and analysis reported; Historical information; Editorial opinion; More time for research; In depth features (magazines and specialty reporters). Electronic media: Immediacy; Short reports; Visually driven; Constant updates—especially radio and cable TV (national and international); Live interviews . Overview – Continued The more significant the event, the more constant the news coverage; During an emergency, media will fill a vacuum with whatever information they can get from any source, regardless of credibility; Response organizations must inform media as soon as possible what their role is in an emergency, even if information about the situation is incomplete; Must offer regular updates to meet the demands of the “news cycle”, even if there are no new developments. Key media for radiation emergencies Identifying key media should be part of planning in preparation for a radiation emergency; Consider likely emergency scenarios, based on where radiation is used: Nuclear power plant; Medical use (teletherapy or sealed sources); Industrial use (construction, irradiation facilities, milling, etc); Transboundary release. Consider the likely affected audience and also the “reach” of the media available. Key media for radiation emergencies Special relationships with the media—include them into emergency planning; Determine the audiences of particular media and their preferences—plan to use the most effective outlets