Learning Objectives: Learn how to handle themselves in situations where the media becomes adversarial.
Abstract: For several decades, tobacco companies invested heavily in crisis communications. Their public image was tarnished and their product was and is deadly. Tobacco prevention and control advocates, on the other hand, were seen as the “good guys” in a war against the evil empire and rarely were confronted with negative media coverage. The growth of tobacco prevention and control as a movement has increased the vulnerability of tobacco prevention and control institutions, agencies, funders and individual advocates to negative media coverage. Therefore, in addition to mastering skills in media relations, media advocacy and media literacy, the tobacco movement must become skilled in crisis communications.
The risks associated with negative media coverage are substantial. Tobacco prevention and control programs have suffered funding cutbacks, loss of key legislative supporters, staff and volunteer disillusionment, and loss of public trust as a result of negative news stories. Often the immediate responses to negative news coverage have been dysfunctional: denial, wishful thinking, anger, avoidance, anger and “spin.”
This workshop will provide tools for tobacco prevention and control staff and volunteers that will help them to avoid dysfunctional ways of handing media crises and embrace tried and true crisis communications strategies that can effectively inform and educate the public, correct misperceptions, and minimize the potential of backlash. Examples will be drawn from real-life crises in tobacco control – including tobacco industry use of FOIA (federal Freedom of Information Act), conservative opposition to edgy youth-driven messages against tobacco company manipulation, questions regarding accountability for public funds, and public “turf wars” between rival tobacco control organizations and advocates.
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