From Ashley Carman, writing for The Verge… You’ve probably seen this by now, but to catch you up if not: On Monday, Neil Young issued an ultimatum to Spotify: keep Joe Rogan or me. It can’t have both on the service. “I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines — potentially causing death […]
From Timothy Noah, writing for The Soapbox… We’ve seen much commentary about whether it was inappropriate for Joe Biden to mumble into a hot mic that Fox News’s Peter Doocy was a “stupid son of a bitch,” and not enough about whether Biden’s assessment was truthful. The first question is easily answered. No, presidents should not go […]
By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications If you’ve ever attended one of our seminars on crisis communications, we often talk about the power of apology. Real apologies; apologies that are authentic and true; apologies without qualification or the use of “weasel words” (e.g. “mistakes were made”). Perhaps no industry does apology better AND worse than the […]
Thanks to Mary Flood for this article… Whether reporters are calling about a crisis or just to tap your expertise, here are the six things all lawyers should know before talking to the press. An unanswered or botched media call can be a nightmare, or at the very least a lost opportunity for advocacy for […]
Do you remember the 2009 swine flu pandemic, also referred to by the media as the H1N1 flu? I remember two things quite distinctly: As this flu crossed borders, infecting 700 million to 1.4 billion people — or 11 to 21 percent of the global population of 6.8 billion at the time — thankfully, the […]
By Stephanie York, JD, Hennes Communications Any government agency should prioritize communicating truthfully, transparently, quickly and effectively, using traditional media, social media, the agency’s website and any other methods available. A serious issue or crisis ups the ante on communications. That’s when stakeholders most need correct and timely information. That’s also when damaging misinformation and […]
From Sophie Maerowitz, writing for PR News… Yesterday (Oct. 31), White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki disclosed that she contracted COVID-19. In a statement posted to Twitter and published by the Associated Press, Psaki shared the circumstances of her positive COVID test result, as well as the actions she has taken since. The timing and content of Psaki’s […]
From Adrian J. Rivera, writing for The New York Times… Every so often, something so awful and senseless happens that it’s hard to fully absorb it. An apartment building collapses as residents sleep within. A movie star’s prop gun fires a real bullet on a film set, killing a young mother. A concert crowd morphs […]
From our colleague in Australia, Tony Jaques, director of Issue Outcomes Pty Ltd… There’s a good reason why legal advice is important in crisis management. Because just about every crisis or potential crisis has a legal component. But at the same time just about no crisis or potential crisis is ever solely about legal matters. Failure to recognise that leads to […]
By Stephanie York, JD, Hennes Communications Q: Why should a local school district, an independent or parochial school reach out to a crisis communications firm? A: Quick – What’s the single highest priority for a superintendent, head or board president? It’s not education. It’s safety. And just one part of that safety net is making […]