Introduction by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications… Every year, our Crisis Management Today newsletter emphasizes the power of brevity in communication. We advocate for “writing tight” — a skill crucial for captivating an audience with notoriously short attention spans. To influence, motivate or inspire change effectively, embracing conciseness is key. One of the most impactful ways […]
By Lynn Neary, for NPR… Bob Edwards, the veteran broadcaster and longtime host of Morning Edition who left an indelible mark on NPR’s sound, has died. He was 76 years old. NPR’s Susan Stamberg says Edwards’ voice became part of the morning routine for millions of Americans. “He was Bob Edwards of Morning Edition for 24 1/2 years, and […]
By Rehan Mirza, The Journalist’s Resource Last month, a robocall impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden went out to New Hampshire voters, advising them not to vote in the state’s presidential primary election. The voice, generated by artificial intelligence, sounded quite real. “Save your vote for the November election,” the voice stated, falsely asserting that a vote in […]
By Brian Ellis at PR Daily It seems not a week goes by that we don’t hear of one CEO or another taking heat for something they’ve said. With all the business acumen many have demonstrated in leading their businesses, you would think being a company spokesperson would be a no-brainer, yet many CEOs don’t […]
It’s Time to Curtail “Horse Race” Coverage of Elections: What You Can Do Introduction by Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications Dear Valued Readers, In our continuous effort to enrich your understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of crisis communications, we bring to your attention a significant piece published by the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School and the Shorenstein […]
By Thom Fladung, Hennes Communications Only 49% of U.S. businesses report they have a formal crisis communications plan, according to Capterra’s Crisis Communications Survey, conducted in January 2023 with 243 U.S. business executives, all of whom held leadership positions of director or above. Another 28% said they have an informal or undocumented crisis communications plan – although […]
By Jane Sancinito, writing for The Conversation… A, B, C, D, E, F, G – makes you want to hum the alphabet song. But there’s no real reason why people should learn these letters in this order. There are plenty of ways we could structure the alphabet; the computer keyboard in front of me provides one […]
From Joan Donovan and Sarah Parker, writing for The Conversation… “You have blood on your hands.” “I’m sorry for everything you have all been through.” These quotes, the first from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., speaking to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and the second from Zuckerberg to families of victims of online child abuse in the […]
From our friend and colleague in Australia, Tony Jaques… Who should speak in a crisis? That deceptively simple question can help determine whether an organisation’s reputation is enhanced or irreparably damaged when things go wrong. And behind that question are two common errors in crisis management. The first error is the idea that “speaking with one voice” […]
Is COVID-19 still a pandemic? Is it over? Should we call it something else? In his latest article, Dr. Peter Sandman delves into the ongoing narrative of the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a critical lens through which communicators can navigate the complex landscape of public perception and complacency. As we stand at the crossroads of public […]