A guide for the spokesperson

David Alexander University College London

The public information officer:-

Function: collect, verify and disseminate information to particular groups and the general public

• the spokesperson should be a full part of the crisis response unit

• he or she must work in normal situations, not merely in emergencies and disasters

• the public has a right to information on disasters and major emergencies.

Things that the mass media and the public want to know:-

• What has happened?

• Where and when?

• Who is or was involved?

• What caused this situation?

• What is being done to put things right?.

• Why did it happen now?

• What and how much damage has been caused?

• What safety measures are being taken?

• Whose fault is it and who is taking the blame for what has happened?

• What is being said to people who have been injured or put in danger? .

• Has anything similar happened in the past?

Things that the mass media and the public want to know:-

How the mass media can help civil protection authorities:-

• give out information to the public public on the pre-crisis situation

• inform the population of warnings and other instructions

• reassure the public.

• fight rumour

• help the rescue effort

• brief organisations and agencies with new collected information

• encourage help from outside the disaster area.

How the mass media can help civil protection authorities:-

A spokesperson should:-

• occupy a position of authority

• have experience of dealing with the mass media

• come over as a person who is responsible, calm and self-assured

• be able to speak with maximum clarity and in a convincing way.

Five questions for a spokesperson:-

1. how should I formulate....? - the content of messages - the most important thing to say

2. who do I want to speak to?

3. what is the most efficient way to explain what I want to say?

4. what is the most efficient way to present my message to the users?

5. What type of response to I want to have from my listeners or viewers? .

Some rules of engagement with journalists:-

• Do not give the names of dead and injured before relatives have been informed.

• Note responsibilities, but do not attribute blame prematurely. Tell people that the results of enquiries will be ready asap.

• Do not speculate, make conjectures, or giver personal opinions.

• Tell the truth. You can admit to not knowing the answer to a question and can offer to find out afterwards.

• Prepare a brief written communication for the journalists before speaking.

• Do not give exclusive interviews. The press conference is for all journalists.

• Be available so as not to give the impression you are hiding something.

• Stay calm.

• Say if you are not authorised to respond to questions, and read the communiqué.

Some rules of engagement with journalists:-

How to work well with the mass media:-

• provide regular information updates

• prepare pages of information and data

• do not speak in jargon or with language that is too technical

• respect journalists' deadlines

• admit it if information is not sufficiently reliable.

• always be polite; avoid irony and humour

• reply to questions by journalists as well as you can, but do not stray from your principal objective

• do not pretend: if the question is unclear, get it repeated

• offer facts, not opinions

• explain the context and the relevance of your message

• record your pess conference or take notes on it.

How to work well with the mass media:-

The press communiqué:-

• ensure that the subject is sufficiently interesting to merit a communiqué

• do not refuse to give a copy of the communiqué to any journalist who wants it: this could seem like favouritism or an attempt to hide something

• offer the communiqué to journalists who (a) appear responsible and interested in the matter, (b) are well connected to the sectors of the general public that you want your message to reach.

• do not write more than 2 pages

• use short paragraphs, do not use jargon and avoid (or define) technical terms

• directly report what the authorities are saying and name your sources

• in certain cases the communiqué can be accompanied by audio or video clips or by photographs.

The press communiqué:-

The form of the press communiqué:-

• date [hour] and place of issue

• source of the communiqué and of the information it contains

• brief resumé: who? what? where? when? to whom does it matter? how? ...and perhaps also: why? .

• the text (maximum two pages)

• if it covers more than one page, indicate at the end of p. 1 that there is a continuation

• description of attachments (if there are any)

• an word such as “END” to indicate the end of the communiqué.

The form of the press communiqué:-

Information pages:-

• to offer some facts that help you to explain the situation better

• can be prepared in advance and reused on successive occasions

• should offer data, statistics, facts, explanations of causes and mechanisms, things to do to avoid damage and injury.