PR Newswire held another Media Coffee event on 29 September in Hong Kong with the topic "Crisis Communications in the Digital Age". The event which was conducted in a panel discussion format, attracted more than 100 marketers, public relations practitioners and communicators who attended in person and via live webcast. Members of the panel comprised of Felix Poon, Founder & Managing Director of Vis Communications Consultancy Ltd, Chris Yeung, Founder and Editor of Voice of Hong Kong, and Laurence Witherington, Social Media Editor forAsia at The Wall Street Journal.
The archived video of the event is now available upon registration.
Clear the Air and Not Muddle the Water
Felix Poon, a seasoned public relations professional, kicked-off the event by commenting that crisis management is straightforward in the past when traditional media, such as newspaper, television and radio, was still prevalent. It was all about controlling the flow of information. Now, with the dominance of smartphones and social media becoming a universal communications channel, crisis management is about managing information with the aim of reducing damages to the minimal.
A veteran journalist and speaking from the media's perspective, Chris Yeung highlighted that Hong Kong has a market-driven and highly competitive media landscape where journalists are always seeking out interesting, exclusive and controversial stories. He also identified some sources of crises that usually attract massive public attention and outcries in Hong Kong, which include political issues, class conflict, environment and conservation, and sex and racism. Chris also believed that communication in times of crisis should serve the purpose for clarity, consistency and honesty.
Laurence Witherington, who has an editorial background, is the second Asian social media editor at one of the largest media companies in the world. In his current role, which puts him in direct contact with millions of social media followers, he is always one tweet away from crisis. To minimise the possibilities of public outcries due to inaccurate tweeted news, Lauren stressed the importance of putting a system in place to prevent editorial mistakes that can result in a crisis, and also a procedure to follow in the event mistakes had been made. In the space of social media, Laurence felt that a trivial matter can be blown out of proportion and the approach the company takes -- whether to let social media and the internet to self-correct it or proactively communicate via the social channel – can sometimes affect the outcomes. He further elaborated with examples from Skittles and Air Asia.
The Importance of Using Social Media in A Crisis Communication
When asked about the role of social media in crisis management, Felix commented that social media is a window for companies to communicate to internal and external stakeholders in times of crisis. Whilst it is not the most ideal channel to respond to all kinds of queries, it helps to establish a positive public image that the company is willing to communicate. On the other hand, it was noted by Laurence that the use of social media is often a trade-off between speed and accuracy. Whilst social media is an effective channel to provide quick responses when crisis happens, it is a double-edged sword if the responses are inappropriate, and as a result, the situation could snowball into a bigger crisis.
Has Social Media Killed the Golden Hour?
Nowadays, companies typically do not have the luxury to respond within the Golden Hour, which refers to the first 60 minutes after a crisis. However, as commented by Felix, companies can manage the Golden Hour, if they are prepared with a communication plan put in place and then activate it when a crisis happens. The key is to respond to the crisis as quickly as possible. Chris also added that with the prevalence of social media, companies should accept the fact that a crisis cannot be stopped once it happened, and they should focus their efforts in managing the incident to ensure it will not be blown out of proportion. He also advised that response to a crisis should be appropriate and proportionate to the magnitude of the crisis. Overreaction may drive more media attention and result in another crisis situation. Lawrence noted that whilst it is tempting to respond quickly via social media, the key is to devise a correct and accurate response, even if it would require more time creating such a message.
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About PR Newswire's Media Coffee
The goal of Media Coffee is to enable communications professionals to hear from leading media organizations on how their respective companies work, providing insight into their specialist areas, giving advice on achieving coverage and informing them on effective targeting of journalists within their sector and how to build a mutually beneficial relationship.
About PR Newswire
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