Reference: Veil, S. R. (2012). Clearing the Air: Journalists and Emergency
Managers Discuss Disaster Response. Journal Of Applied Communication Research,
40(3), 289-306. doi:10.1080/00909882.2012.679672
Theme: A Way To Improve the Public Information
Officer Relationship and Journalist
Summary: How Do We Abate the
Differences of Discourse between PIO’s and the Media?
There seem to be communication challenges between Public
Information Officers and Journalists. We are often told on many occasions to
find our media contacts and befriend them. Communication issues do arise on
occasions, but can they affect the relationship between the two entities, PIO
and Media?
1) Lack of Trust – When a disaster
occurs, “a sense of threat, urgency, and destruction, often on a monumental
scale, “ arises. (Seeger, Sellnow,
& Ulmer, 2003, p. 4) During that time of communicating the information
to, “protect health, safety, and the
environment,” (Veil, S. R. 2012) is vital. If there are holes in the information that
the public receives, uncertainty begins to dwell. The public will try and fill
these holes and anxiety rises and misinformation will spread.
2)
Paradoxical Challenges – There is
a sense within the PIO that Journalists only want to sensationalize the
disaster and stir up panic to get their viewers to tune into their
organization. Journalists on the other hand, feel that PIO’s hold back a lot of
information and even, “obstruct rather than facilitate the flow of information
to the public.” (Veil, S. R. 2012) It
is said that PIO’s will not allow for all information to come out protecting
the community from public panic. Berkowitz (2009) states, “‘‘Journalists
end up in a role of protecting society from corruption, while officials . . . take on the task of protecting
their own interests at all costs’’ (p. 102).
3)
Inhibited Collaboration –
Sometimes information is not shared between the two PIO and Media
organizations.
Application: Lack of trust limits effective communication. PIO’s
understand that most journalists have not been trained in covering emergencies.
Collaboration has been the most pivotal point by far, to get
both, the PIO and the media to the table. Research has proven that, “ . . .
to advise emergency managers, to engage the media, through open and honest communication,
and use the media as a strategic resource to aid in managing the crisis’’
(Seeger, 2006, p. 241)
Application in EMS: It is important for the PIO to achieve a favorable
relationship with the media by understanding how journalists work. It is also
important to develop a close relationship with the Journalists (media), and
offer them information of disaster that fits into their story frame. On the
other hand, Journalists should not walk up to a police officer or firefighter
to get closer to the scene, but seek out the PIO and communicate with him to
get a better view of the disaster. Maybe we could give journalists some
classes, i.e. don’t come to a wildfire with flip-flops on, and maybe we can
learn from journalists how to speak and behave in front of the camera. The old adage,
“I scratch your back you scratch mine,” has worked for me in many situations,
especially in places where I did not know anyone.
