New York University Crisis Communication Discussion and Responses

after reflecting on the previous units and using one or more of the crisis communication cases covered in this unit (e.g. United, Flint, Sully-US Air 1549) as a reference point for what we have covered in the course,  what do the terms public information and crisis communication mean to you now? How has your perception of what constitutes effective crisis management changed (if at all) since the beginning of the term? and how/why?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/11/business/united…

P1:
To me, public information refers to information that is intended to be shared with the
general public, either through traditional media outlets (such as newspapers, television,
or radio) or through social media and other digital platforms. This type of information
can include news updates, announcements, press releases, and other forms of
communication that are meant to inform the public about what is happening in an
organization or the world.
Crisis communication, on the other hand, refers to the specific strategies and tactics
that organizations use to communicate with the public and other stakeholders during
times of crisis. This can include anything from issuing statements and press releases
to holding press conferences and interacting with the media and other stakeholders
through social media. A crisis is considered an unwanted event that results in actual or
likely negative consequences for the stakeholders (Coombs & Holladay, 2022). The
extent to which an organization’s reputation is affected by a crisis depends on how it
responds to the crisis, with effective crisis communication being an essential part of
the organization’s response to a crisis.
Since the beginning of the term, my perception of what constitutes effective crisis
management has not changed significantly. I still believe that effective crisis
management involves a combination of clear and timely communication, transparency,
and the ability to anticipate and respond to the needs of various stakeholders. It is also
important for organizations to have a well-defined crisis management plan in place,
and to be prepared to adapt and modify this plan as needed in the face of changing
circumstances (Coombs & Holladay, 2022). However, the course readings
emphasized the importance of public information and crisis communication especially
as it applied to the Flint water crisis.
The government failed to accurately and promptly tell the public about the quality of
the drinking water in Flint, Michigan, which led to the Flint water disaster. For
financial reasons, the city shifted its water supply from the Detroit water system to the
Flint River in 2014 (CNN, 2016). The Flint River water was not properly treated,
though, and as a result, the lead levels in the drinking water increased to unsafe levels.
Despite concerns from residents about the quality of the water, government officials
did not properly inform the public about the potential health risks of drinking the
contaminated water. This failure to provide accurate and timely information to the
public led to a serious public health crisis, as many people in Flint were exposed to
high levels of lead, which can cause serious health problems, particularly in children.
In the Flint water crisis, crisis communication could have been used to better inform
the public about the risks associated with the contaminated drinking water and to
provide guidance on how to protect themselves and their families. By being open and
transparent about the quality of the water and the potential health risks, the
government could have helped to build trust and confidence with the public (Coombs
& Holladay, 2022). Providing timely and accurate information to the public is crucial
in a crisis. By acting quickly to address the problem and providing regular updates,
the government could have helped to mitigate the impact of the Flint Water Crisis.
The Flint water crisis is a clear example of the importance of providing accurate and
timely information to the public during a crisis. By failing to do so, the government
put the health and well-being of the people of Flint at risk. Providing timely public
communication about the events of the Flint water crisis would have helped the
government to limit the public outrage associated with the crisis, while crisis
communication would have assured the public that the crisis was being addressed.
References
Coombs, W. T., & Holladay, S. J. (Eds.). (2022). The handbook of crisis
communication. John Wiley & Sons.
CNN. (2016, January 21). Here’s how Flint’s Water Crisis
happened. YouTube. Retrieved from
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTpsMyNezPQ.
P2:
What do the terms public information and crisis communication mean to you now?
Before taking this course, I thought that public information primarily consisted of
important information disseminated by firms to the general public. From reviewing
cases like the United crisis, I have learned that civilians can also distribute public
information with the rise in social media and the increased use of mobile devices.
Back in 2017, United Airlines passengers shared a video where a passenger was
mistreated. The company’s Twitter account received 1.2 million mentions, and its
Facebook page received 135,000 interactions as the videos circulated (Creswell &
Maheswari, 2017). We learned in Unit 3 that stakeholders dominate the conversation
on social media platforms and can draw media and public attention by sharing their
experiences with the brand (Lindardopoulos, 2019).
Similar to public information, I have learned that there are many components to crisis
communication. A crisis can be driven via social media and external events outside of
social media. Crises are identified through media attention and when key publics are
affected negatively (Lindardopoulos, 2019). In the United Case, it is seen that the
mistreatment of a passenger led to crises. In contrast, in the Flint case, the poor
judgment of city officials and the state government aggravated the drinking water
conditions (CNN, 2016). In both cases, crisis communication strategies lacked or the
firms failed to navigate these crises effectively. Simply put, I no longer believe that
crisis communication is just the way that firms present themselves to the media when
experiencing bad PR.
How has your perception of what constitutes effective crisis management changed (if
at all) since the beginning of the term? and how/why?
Learning more about the inner workings of crisis communication has changed my
views on effective crisis management. Before the class, I was only familiar with basic
apologies that I saw from firms as consumers. After reviewing all the units, I’ve
learned more about the theories and frameworks guiding crisis management. There
are many variables, such as instituting a crisis communication plan, enlisting a public
information officer, and navigating the media’s objectives (Linardopoulos, 2019). I’ve
learned more about the complexities of crisis planning, as crises are unpredictable.
Specifically, I learned how each crisis management plan must outline the various key
publics that need to be notified of any events. There were many factors that I never
thought about that firms need to outline thoroughly when navigating crises.
Reviewing various cases of how crises were handled (both good and poor methods)
also shaped my view of effective crisis management strategies. Finally, I was unaware
of a crucial aspect of crisis management: the evaluation phase. The evaluation of
crisis management plans is integral to preparing for future crises and measuring the
effectiveness of responses. I’m glad to have learned more about crisis management
overall as we saw how firms struggled to protect their reputation.
Sources:
Linardopoulos, N. (2019). 192.411.90: Crisis Communication, Unit 3 & 4 [Online
lecture and PowerPoint Slides].
Creswell, J. & Maheshwari, S. (2017). United Grapples With PR Crisis Over Videos
of Man Being Dragged Off Plane. The New York Times.
CNN. (2016, January 21). Here’s how Flint’s water crisis happened [Video].
YouTube.