Post on 24-Feb-2021
Scott Robinson Spokesman U.S Consulate General Hong Kong & Macau
“A popular government without popular information or the means of acquiring it is but a prologue to a farce or a tragedy, or perhaps both.”
“The flow of ideas, the capacity to make informed choices, the ability to criticize, all of the assumptions on which political democracy rests, depend largely on communications.”
Serving the people
Truthfully informing the people
Transparent and functional government operations
A functioning democracy requires that its people must be able to make informed choices and independent judgments.
To be informed, people need access to information.
They get that information from a free press.
Press offices have two roles in this process: ◦ Advocate for and explain the government position
◦ Advocate for the media within government
Communicator as part of strategy team
Need appropriate access
Don’t stand in the way of a good story
Be responsive
Information prevents rumors
Stay in front of the story
Repeat the message
Create actions steps or objectives in threes
Personalize your organization
Communicate in language of your audience
Utilize technology
Professionals/surrogates
Coordinate messages
Well-defined process for achieving long-term communication goals
◦ Objective
◦ Main message
- be consistence
- be concise and precise
- be repeated
Your communication with the public must be:
Consistent
Penetrating
Relevant
Realistic
Repetitious
Early
Put out your information in every format
Use visuals
Focus your message
Use social media and update regularly
Create a buzz
To push information
Make use of the feedback (Listening tools)
To build a dialogue with your target audiences
Create the amplifier effect
Freedom of speech
Office of Digital Engagement ◦ Twitter accounts in 11 languages
Bureau of International Information Programs ◦ Wild Geese of Foggy Bottom blog
U.S. Embassies and Consulates
State Department Social Media
DO’S Tell the truth – ALWAYS. Your credibility and reputation
depend on it. • Admit if you don’t know the answer to a question.
Offer to get the answer, and get it quickly. • Correct mistakes immediately. State that you didn’t
give an adequate answer, and you would like to clear up the confusion.
• Avoid using jargon. Speak in plain language. • Assume that everything you say and write using
digital media is on the record. • Be as open with the media as possible. • Contact reporters and bloggers if an inaccurate story
appears. Substantiate your challenge of any facts with evidence.
DO’S • Use all forms of media to get out your messages — not only traditional print and broadcasting, but also Web pages and social media. • Post responses, negative and positive, to your blogs and your other social media sites. Posting comments is transparent and engages citizens. Establish and publicize your procedures for handling comments that are hateful or lewd. • Maintain an up-to-date list of accomplishments. Things happen so quickly that you may forget what you, the official, and your ministry or government have achieved. People remember bad news but not good news. • Return all phone calls and emails promptly, in time for reporters to meet deadlines. • Provide the information reporters want, even if it means an extra effort, such as staying at work late or hand-delivering material. • Cultivate a sense of humor. As one official said: “Frustration is almost built into the fabric of the job. Unless you have a sense of humor, it is a grim business indeed.”
DON’TS: Never lie – EVER. • Never say “No comment.” • Do not improvise, speculate or guess. Good reporters
check facts. If you are wrong, your credibility will be destroyed.
• Do not try to put a comment “off the record” after you have said it.
• Never send out an email and expect it to be private. • Never fail to respond to a telephone message or email. • Do not try to make news until you have in hand the
information to go with it. Don’t make an announcement and then later prepare a press release and fact sheet. Do that beforehand.
• Never harass or threaten reporters.
A crisis is an event that occurs suddenly, often unexpectedly, and demands a quick response
Be prepared
Based on a system already in place
Be forthcoming and honest
Constant update
Focus on what it is you’re trying to achieve
Digital and social media make things easier
Have a crisis plan
Go public immediately using all your media tools, including social media, but only state what you know
Get top management to the crisis site
Inform your internal audiences
Update frequently and regularly
www.nagc.com