By Bruce Hennes, Hennes Communications In the aftermath of the death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of five police officers, the Memphis Police Chief chose not to stand behind the usual “This is a matter under investigation.” Instead, she made remarks that were honest and, in my opinion, stunningly blunt. Her outrage was evident […]
Whether it’s a staff meeting on Teams, a webinar on Zoom, a private conversation on FaceTime or a short training video you record on WebEx, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. And if it’s an interview with a seasoned reporter, the stakes are even higher. You must be prepared to […]
Dionne Waugh, formerly a reporter and now a public information officer for the Boulder, Colorado Police Department, has deep experience helping police departments communicate with the public during critical incidents. That experience includes a mass shooting in 2021 when 10 people lost their lives. In a recent article by Wayne Parham written for Police Magazine, […]
University Teams with Crisis Communications Expert Bruce Hennes in New Offering A new partnership between Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication and Hennes Communications will allow communication professionals the opportunity to earn one credit hour towards a 12-hour graduate certificate in crisis communication. Anyone attending certain seminars taught by Hennes Communications, a crisis communications firm based in Cleveland, […]
By Seth Arenstein for PRNEWS As PR pros know well, communicating isn’t difficult, until it is. Even the media-trained make mistakes, say things they regret, forget a key talking point, let a journalist’s question, or something else, distract them. Press conferences sometimes are especially difficult. Communicators urge executives that ignoring everything but the questioner is the best […]
By Jonah Bryson for PRNews The 24-hour news cycle drowns countless stories that deserve attention. Stories cannot land press coverage without a tasty soundbite, as Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson describes them. Hence it is paramount to design, deliver and circulate soundbites strategically. Here are two that have stood the test of time: “The only thing we have to […]
It’s a simple fact: Controversies today are tried in the Court of Public Opinion more often than the Court of Law. News now breaks first on social media, with traditional media sweeping Twitter, Facebook and YouTube for leads. Whether your organization is immersed in crisis or dealing with a hot-button issue, your news can quickly […]
Crisis communications is a sub-specialty of the public relations profession that is designed to protect and defend an individual, company, or organization facing a public challenge to its reputation. Crisis communications is aimed at raising awareness of a specific type of threat, the magnitude, outcomes, and specific behaviors to adopt to reduce the threat. […]
By Stephanie York, JD, Hennes Communications Quick – What’s the single highest priority for a superintendent, head of school or board president? It’s not education. It’s safety. And just one part of that safety net is making sure you have a pre-written crisis communications plan at your fingertips – or at least the phone number […]
Once again, Sterling Miller hits it out of the park with an article ostensibly written for in-house attorneys, but 100% applicable to anyone in a new position in any field. When it comes to “executive presence,” I now have the benefit of being older with more than a few gray hairs. As a result, a […]