Crisis Communication

A crisis is characterized as an unexpected event or series of events that cause significant disruption.
Not all natural disasters are categorized as crises.
- A natural disaster is only a crisis if its impact exceeds reasonable expectations (intensity and timing).
- Example: A hurricane becomes a crisis if it arrives sooner rather than expected or its severity surpasses predictions.
Stakeholders determine when an event is considered a crisis based on the level of damage inflicted.
- Stakeholders can include residents, local businesses, government, etc.

Element of Surprise
- Must include an unexpected aspect regarding timing or intensity.
- E.g., if residents are caught off-guard by unexpected severity or rapid onset of a disaster.
Element of Threat
- The crisis must pose threats beyond the ordinary challenges faced by organizations, which encounter problems regularly.
- Examples of threats include:
  - Financial issues
  - Environmental threats
  - Threats to customer safety
  - Oil spills disrupting surrounding communities
Short Response Time
- There should be a sense of urgency to respond to the crisis, which is termed "persistent urgency".
- Quick action is necessary to minimize damage and uncertainty.

Crisis (from a crisis communication perspective):
- An organizational crisis is an unexpected, non-routine event that creates significant uncertainty, presenting both opportunities and threats to high-priority organizational goals.
- Each organization's perception of crisis varies, depending on impacts to their specific goals.

Unintentional Crises
- Natural disasters, disease outbreaks, unforeseen technical failures, and product failures (e.g., automobile brake issues) fall under this category.
- Economic downturns are often considered unintentional crises.
Intentional Crises
- Crises arising from deliberate actions, such as terrorism, workplace violence, poor risk management, or unethical leadership.

Crises are inevitable; every organization will experience crises at some point.
Increased technological dependence has made the public more vulnerable to organizational crises.

Crisis communication theory is essential to public relations practice.
It is relevant across several disciplines, including:
- Psychology: social amplification, risk perception, resiliency
- Sociology: social structures around risk (e.g., evacuation protocols)
- Business: organizational resilience and sense-making strategies
- Math/Physics/Political Science: various theoretical perspectives on crisis

Refers to how the media presents a crisis story—varied presentations can significantly alter public perception.
The framing can be positive or negative and is influenced by both media outlets and organizational responses.
Organizations must engage proactively with news media to shape narratives positively, avoiding a silent response.

Focusing events are prominent crises that shift public and policy focus.
- Components of focusing events:
1. Situation occurs suddenly
2. Situation is rare
3. Captures large-scale attention
4. Public and policymakers prioritize the issue
Example: News coverage of a mass shooting leading to calls for gun control policies.

Explores how crisis information spreads and its accuracy during distressing events.
The rise of social media increases misinformation compared to traditional factual reporting.
Rapid dissemination of information is crucial; therefore, organizations must fill information voids during crises to avoid misinformation.

Emotional responses drive public perception during crises.
Exemplars, defined as vivid, brief, and emotional messages (e.g., impactful images or phrases), significantly affect public memory and responses.
Example: Visuals of an oil spill create a stronger emotional impact than textual descriptions.

Understanding these media theories is essential for formulating effective crisis management responses.
The next discussions will focus on analyzing case studies and crisis response strategies.