Want,Play,Hardball,with,the,Ne marketing Want to Play Hardball with the News Media?
Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t
There comes a time in the life of almost every companywhen its honesty, its integrity and its health arethreatened by attacks from the news media.Frequently, these attacks are well deserved. Example:Enron.All too often, these attacks are engineered byantagonists (usually plaintiff attorneys orissue-oriented activists) through all-too-willing newsreporters who are hell-bent on winning this yearsPulitzer.When that time comes for you and your company, you willhave to decide: Do I want to play hardball with thenews media?Before you even consider that question, you must takean inventory. You must have three things in your cornerbefore you even consider taking on the media.First, you must have persuasive evidence of yourinnocence.In the Court of Public Opinion, you are guilty untilproven innocent. If you plan to take on the news media,you must be prepared to present evidence that sways thepublic in your favor.Persuasive is not the same as conclusive.Indeed, logic need not apply.You will want proof that persuades the brain byaiming at the heart.You must also make sure that you stand on solid legalground. Your team should always include a legal counselwho is media-savvy and crisis-oriented.You want to have a lawyer on your side who is notafraid to do battle with, in or through the media. Butyour attorney should also be an expert incommunications law, particularly libel.The attorneys job in a Hardball PR situation is not tosteer your ship, but to help navigate your ship aroundthe rocks.Second, you must have sufficient resources at yourdisposal.Never go to war with the news media if you lack themoney, the time, the energy or the will to see itthrough.You must have the cash to pay for excellent PR counselas well as for excellent legal counsel. You must beprepared to support the tactics that will lead tovictory. This often includes such expensive items asadvertising and lawsuits.Each years company budget should include a PR defensefund large enough to fend off any attack, larger orsmall.Third, you must see a recognizable gain.Never go to war with the media if there is nothing foryou to gain by it.In short, never fight out of spite.Lets say a columnist in a free alternative tabloidmakes a snotty comment about your company that isobviously unfair and untrue. Forget about going to warwith that reporter.Its not worth the effort. The odds are low that anyoneamong your key stakeholders saw they item. If they did,they likely put no credence in the item.Simply write a careful, polite letter to the editorthat refutes the comment and presents the facts. Askthe tabloid to publish the letter. If it refuses, buyad space.You do this only to get it on the record that thecomment is unfair and untrue, just in case a reporterat a mainstream paper decides to pick up on the story.Thats it. Leave it alone.Keep your powder dry and save your resources forbattles that count.In addition, there must a low risk of revealing otherbad news. The last thing you need is to fend off amedia attack on an unfair and untrue story, only tohave the media uncover a fair, true and devastatingstory.If you have skeletons in your closet, stay away from amedia battle.Copyright 2003 by W.O. Cawley Jr.
Want,Play,Hardball,with,the,Ne