What is Crisis Media Training

WHAT IS CRISIS MEDIA TRAINING

Crisis Media Training by Broadcast Media Services (BMS) is a simulated crisis using studios, expert current or former journalists and social media emulation software. A plan is then built around the experience with coaching and feedback resulting in a rock solid crisis communication plan.

A Breakdown of a Typical Crisis Media Training Day

The BMS team can re-create a ‘virtual’ crisis with on the ground news teams who provide live inserts, challenging interviews and real life press conferences.

We use the latest technology, including MockingBird – our Twitter emulation, built in-house by BMS – and mobile green screen to give a realistic experience to those caught in the eye of the storm.

During these exercises, we will simulate the barrage of calls from journalists demanding statements, interviews to camera and phone pieces for radio. As the incident gathers pace, live radio and TV broadcasts will appear on a screen in your exercise room showing how the event is progressing and illustrating how the consequences of your action – or inaction – are being played out in the media.

Remember it doesn’t matter how much internal activity is happening….if you aren’t communicating with the outside world via the prism of the media, those affected will have little idea how you are coping and what you are trying to do to put the situation right.

However it’s not just your voice that will be heard – when a story of this nature breaks, the airwaves will be filled with customers, opinion formers, pundits, MPs etc. In today’s live 24/7 news environment, we need plenty of material to keep feeding the beast! You will hear it all as the exercise unfolds and you begin to make choices over who you speak to, what you say and who delivers the message.

Meanwhile, the MockingBird social media feed is starting to build up – stakeholders, government, customers, journalists, news organisations – are all joining in and you are faced with having to deal with this ongoing firestorm.

We provide extensive feedback via a report detailing the successes and failures of the exercise. This provides vital information for communication teams and helps to refine their crisis communication plans.

What Happens After Training?

We have ongoing relationships with almost all our clients and can provide you with a range of support.

Over the phone test interviews to see if what you are planning to say actually works when put through the journalistic mill. We do a quick test interview, analyse and give suggestions on how you might be more effective.
Support on hand in the Gold Command room. We can have experienced journalists and camera crews at your disposal to test your spokespeople before the real thing.
Keeping social media fed. We have on many occasions been behind the barricades with clients, videoing spokespeople and posting their updates and bulletins direct to social media sites, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and the corporate website.

What to expect