SINGAPORE, Nov. 1, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On October 14, PR Newswire hosted its Media Coffee event in a panel discussion format that was attended by 85 public relations and corporate communications professionals. With the theme "Crisis Communications in the 
The archived video of the event is now available upon registration.
Social media is a double-edged sword
Since the advent of social media, crisis management in the digital age has become more challenging than ever before. Public opinions and comments, be they good or bad, could spread like wildfire on the internet. The panel agreed that while social media can fuel the spread of crisis if it is not well-contained, it is still a good communication channel to provide timely and factual information to the public and media. It was also noted that while companies may be tempted to delete negative comments, those that are constructive in nature should be acknowledged, embraced and used to rectify the situation. Adrian and Victoria also commented that although social media is a prevalent channel of communication, press releases remain as a trusted source of information for the public and journalists to get factual information from a company.
Internal communication is important
Unity in an organization is key when a crisis hits hard. The panel agreed that all staff should be briefed on the matter to maintain consistency in all messages being sent out to the public. Nicholas further commented that the operations team plays a critical role in crisis management as the frontline personnel need to know the root of the problem before facing the public.
Be honest and apologetic
Verdayne stressed the importance of communicating with a purpose, by crafting relevant messages and identifying communication channels that are effective to different stakeholders. Being transparent to the public is also important as it prevents the spread of malicious rumors and false statements. Additionally, the company should provide post-crisis customer care support to help affected customers to tide over the difficult period. A sincere apology from the management is also essential in restoring customers' trust and confidence in the company and its tainted reputation.
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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
PR Newswire (www.prnasia.com) is the premier global provider of news release distribution and multimedia platforms that enable marketers, corporate communicators, public relations practitioners and investor relations professionals to leverage content to engage with all their key audiences. Having pioneered the commercial news distribution industry in 1954, PR Newswire today provides end-to-end solutions to produce, distribute, target and measure text and multimedia content across traditional, digital, mobile and social channels. Combining the world's largest multi-channel content distribution and optimization network with comprehensive workflow tools and platforms, PR Newswire enables the world's enterprises to tell their stories to the world.
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