One of the biggest challenges for emergency services organizations in the age of social media is controlling the flow of information. In the past, things were a little easier. Press releases were directed through a limited number of newsrooms and those with information to share had a reasonable level of control over what (and when it) was released.

No longer are we afforded this luxury. The adoption of camera equipped smartphones and the growing acceptance of social media means that everyone is a potential source for real-time news. As our work tends to be very public and often of interest to the greater community, it is inevitable that information we don’t want in the public domain will end up there faster than expected and usually without context. Accurate or not, this information now has the capacity to spread both broadly and quickly. While this may not be a problem in all circumstances, think about incidents that you may have responded to involving injury or death. The fallout from an ill timed or inaccuratce report can cause very real damage. To address this type of challenge, we must be working diligently on two fronts.

Front 1: Social Channels

We must be fast to react on social media. First and foremost, we must be sharing accurate information on a regular basis - this increases the likelihood that the public and media will look to us for intel and to verify facts that may have been reported elsewhere. Being absent from social channels is no longer an option. Secondly, we must be quick to respond to bad information and aim to correct the inaccuracies as best we can. Admittedly a tough thing to do once the genie is out of the bottle but we must try nonetheless.

Front 2: Traditional Media

While social is more important than ever, tv, radio and print still receive attention from large portions of our audience. As such, these channels should remain the preferred tool for controlling the message we want shared with the community. When we have information to share, we need to reach out to as many channels as quickly as possible. In the past, this meant relying on press releases, in-person press conferences or working the phones. In speaking with our customers, we know this approach is becoming less and less impactful as the speed with which news is reported changes. We must think more proactively - to find faster ways to get information to our media partners and in turn the public.

Better Media Management with Connect Rocket

Here’s what some of our customers are doing to better manage their media strategy during emergency incidents. When critical intel needs to be shared or when misinformation is spreading and the real story needs to be told, our customers are tapping all of their media partners at once. They leverage Connect Rocket’s outbound conference bridge to instantly connect to all of their media contacts for a phone-based press briefing. In seconds, they’re telling their story and asking for assistance sharing the message. No waiting. No hoping. To keep media partners in the loop, they send subsequent text messages to provide real-time updates on evolving situations.

Traditional media is under the same pressures as everyone else. Budgets are tight and once expansive news rooms have been trimmed. Much leg work on stories is done via social channels and reduced staffing means not every story will get the attention it deserves. By reaching out to newsrooms proactively and in a manner that requires a minimal investment of time on their part, your story has a very good chance of being heard. While you may not make the top of the broadcast or the front page, every media network has a social presence and if nothing more you stand to gain an online advocate.