Organizations in the Media - Lecture Notes PDF

Topic: Organizations in the media Lecture 1 Organizations and corporate reputation Example Starbucks: - presenting themselves as sustainable - whether we trust them depends on the image they are creating, and on the opinion others have - the CEO uses a private jet to work, what does...

Topic: Organizations in the media Lecture 1 Organizations and corporate reputation Example Starbucks: - presenting themselves as sustainable - whether we trust them depends on the image they are creating, and on the opinion others have - the CEO uses a private jet to work, what does this say about the company? - stuff like this can be hurtful in the long run, total sum of opinions creates the topic of organizations in the media Example uncontacted tribe in Peru: - earned media: we believe this more than a commercial, catchy story - advertising: paid media > distance to it - the organization who wants to protect them wants to create sympathy - news has to be interesting - organizations influence the media and achieve success through media Bud Light: - transgender campaign - anti-trans boycott - if you position yourself, not everyone will be by your side - make sure you understand your positioning and what you are doing Shell - trying to present themselves as investing in new energy - How do we present ourselves? Organization = a group of people who work together in an organized way for a shared purpose Models Models are limited, but helps us understand reality - saves mental labor Strategic issues Every organization has to make choices on these aspects Why communicate about these issues? Balance: what part will you share and keep secret? More information sharing leads to: > more people will know you (attracting new people) > better attitude > behave nice, buy your stuff (complex) Communication = repetition Strategic management: what is our story and plan? Communication management: providing information to create an image Reputation = sum of opinions, changing all the time - reputation is crucial in success - difficult to build, but to lose very quick Reputation = likeability (what people think of a company) - Trust Reputation + magnet for talent: people will want to work with you + magnet for credit: investors will give you money + buffer in crisis: you will be fine - subjective: personal opinion, slippery information - hard to get - easily lost Does reputation reflect identity? Personality: behavior, symbolism, communication - to influence image Measuring reputation by rankings Stakeholders rely on media - ‘We found that stakeholders depend more on the news media to learn about reputation dimensions that are difficult to directly experience or observe and for which the news media are the main source of information.’ What is communication? > dit herhaalt zich Literature Coebergh (2011) - people are scared to open themselves, organizations are also frightened to open up - more open > better reputation - more open > easily selling stocks - determinants of openness and outcomes Determinants of disclosure: industry, profitability, national ranking status. The factors that influence companies to share their corporate strategy include - firm size, industry, leverage, and the information requirements of investors. These factors are influenced by both stakeholder theory and agency theory. - Stakeholder theory: stakeholders expect to be informed about decisions > better reputation (lot of groups affected by company) > economic benefits - On the other hand, agency theory emphasizes the information asymmetry between principal and agent, which influences disclosure decisions. > reducing uncertainty Principals may not trust the decisions made by agents (trust, reputation, minimizing conflict) The outcomes of voluntary disclosure of corporate strategy include improvements in stock liquidity, stock volatility, and corporate reputation. These outcomes are influenced by both stakeholder theory and agency theory. - Stakeholder theory emphasizes the economic benefits of engagement with stakeholders, while agency theory highlights the role of disclosure in reducing uncertainty and improving stock liquidity. Take into account: the interests of stakeholders and the information asymmetry between principal and agent. Schnackenberg & Tomlinson (2016) - How open should you be? Organizational transparency consists of three critical dimensions: disclosure, clarity, and accuracy. - Transparency encompasses disclosure (timely sharing of relevant info), clarity (comprehensibility of info), and accuracy (correctness of info) - benevolence = want to do good to other - integrity = having strong moral principles - ability = capacity to perform a task Accurate information is essential for building trust and reducing corporate scandals. Transparency positively influences stakeholders’ trust in organizations, linking transparency dimensions to trustworthiness perceptions. Organizations can strategically manage transparency through effective communication and information quality enhancement. Jonkman et al. (2019) - How does negative news in the media work as a buffer? Increased media visibility can lead to a decline in corporate reputation. Positive news coverage enhances corporate reputation, while negative news has a stronger adverse effect. Existing positive reputations can mitigate the negative impacts of unfavorable news. The study underscores the importance of news tone in shaping public perceptions of corporations. Xhang & Ha (2023) - How to measure reputation - Appreciating that there is never one definition Different media reputation measures yield varying assessments, particularly at the attribute level. The choice of newspaper—elite versus local—affects the perceived reputation of corporations > local news, higher reputation scores Accurate measurement of media reputation is essential for understanding its impact on corporate image, especially in crises. The study underscores the need for a consensus on media reputation measurement methods. a a Lecture 2 Public and media relations What is PR? Accusations: polishing up reality > making themselves look better - isn't it normal to present something to be attractive? - Gray area: reality and truth Countries with negative image invest in sports for a better image > political debate - using the media to make a certain impression Trying to make a good impression > but also need to deal with critique (unilever) What is news? = journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed, everything else is public relations - painful stuff, stories that show something is wrong News = - not old: more fresh, more headline - national/local: close - medium-related: different on medium - culturally biased: other cultures want different things - authority dependent: more credibility - simplified: understood - shocking: sensationalism - personal: more human - perishable: gets old pretty fast - competing: channels - not advertising: earned vs. paid - predictable: you know what subjects will appear - repetitive PR people should know this > you can better take care of media What we see in images > has often not much to do with reality (sharks being deadly) - because it is not sensational news How did PR become PR? - Product PR: selling a product hoping that people know what you are selling and that you get attention - Corporate PR: organizations in the media Without publicity a terrible thing happens nothing: to be known at all Public Relations Is driven by: - relations? > maintaining relations with stakeholders - results? > attention through advertising > brand building > perception management through positioning, promotion and publicity Key theoretical concept: dialogue 4 levels 1. Publicity - propaganda - no dialogue - no appreciation for audience - Putin 2. Public information - powerful people try to tell a story to help people - not a lot of dialogue - ‘take your vaccine’ - ‘don't drive drunk’ 3. Two-way asymmetrical - some sort of dialogue: feel engaged, appreciation > reputation - power distance - teacher and student 4. Two-way symmetrical - optimal level - dialogue with same balance of power Good and bad side of PR - pr is there to understand and listen to stakeholders - pr people are there to manipulate and hide the truth PR is big and continues to outgrow journalism - less journalist, all the money is going to advertising and google - the truth will lose, because pr is hiding the truth - Citizen journalism = through social media people share opinion on right or wrong - PR has less power? Spinning - accusation against PR - creating another frame of the truth - science can also express opinion AIDA: attention, interest, desire, action Literature Lock et al. (2020) - a need for more theoretical grounding in the field - Strategic communication = focusing on purposeful communication activities by organizational leaders - more interpretative approach needed Coebergh et al. (2022) SMCR: source > receiver - Transmission: one flow - Process: back and forth (feedback) Analysis shows that the survey around Berlo’s model helps to identify how many communication professionals work in participating regions and industries. Furthermore, it can be assessed to what extent communication professionals make choices in communication management with organisational stakeholders. The “Berlo-score” is proposed to measure the decision making power of communication professionals. Van Ruler (2021) - According to Van Ruler, the essence of strategic communication is its focus on adaptation to change. - She interprets agility as being focused on adaptation to change as well. - Van Ruler observes that evaluation in communication models is crucial, with both formative (during) and summative (after) evaluation playing a role. - Communication Strategy Framework, dat bestaat uit acht bouwstenen, helpt bij het bepalen van belangrijke keuzes voor de strategie - Adaptability and adjustments Wong & Zhang (2022) - Bad news about a company's behavior > companies value goes down > stock price goes down. This means that investors think a company's reputation is important, and if there's bad news about it, the company's value drops. The article also explains that different things about a company, like its size, how easy it is to buy and sell its stock, and its reputation, affect how much its value goes down when there's bad news. - Corporate reputation risks (CRR) from bad media coverage of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues greatly affect a company's stock performance. - The research highlights that signaling theory and the resource-based view explain why investors see corporate reputation as an asset. - Signaling theory is about how companies send messages to outsiders (like investors) through their actions or disclosures. - Positive signals, like good corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions, tell investors the company is responsible and stable. This can make people more confident in investing. - Negative signals, like bad media coverage on ESG issues, make investors worry about future risks. This leads to a drop in the company’s stock value, as investors may think the company will face higher costs, legal issues, or lose customers. - Resource Based Viewpoints focuses on a company’s resources and capabilities, especially intangible ones like reputation. A good reputation is a resource that can give companies an edge over competitors, allowing them to perform better. - If a company has a strong reputation, it can attract better employees, gain customer loyalty, and get better deals from suppliers, all of which improve the business. - However, if negative media reports harm a company’s reputation, especially concerning ESG matters, it can damage this valuable resource, leading to worse financial performance because reputation is hard to rebuild and is critical to the company’s success.  - Lecture 3: CSR, CSA and Greenwashing Corporate social responsibility = corporations are not just responsible for being successful, they are also expected to engage in practices and have policies that serve greater society good. - voluntary actions Paradox: not a single study about CSR has been able to demonstrate that csr had resolved the issue they addressed. - they focus on the organization's reputation - focus on the CSR activities and output (performance), not on impact (social goal) Focus on impact evaluation - cause and effect relationship > very hard - use primary data from experimental designs Brand activism = speaking out in a socially controversial issue to create social change and marketing success - racism - we expect the engagement from them 4 characteristics - the firm is purpose and values driven: align with core values - controversial topic - progressive or conservative topic - the firm contributes through messaging and brand practice Corporate social advocacy (CPA) vs brand activism - both address socially controversial issues Difference in legitimacy: - CPA is not perse legitimized by stakeholder perceptions - organization is committed to a cause, even when it goes against their own success Difference in goal: - Brand activism is a strategy to build brand equity - CPA is successful when its causing change Focus on dissensus - different perspective on dialogue: focus on non-consensus and conflict - critical discourse analysis: what are people thinking about the efforts Initiatives are not without risks: - boycot among consumers Online: dialogue but not nice or open to each other Greenwashing = firm makes claim about being environmentally responsible, but not living up to these words - aim: to profit from the positive perceptions of CSR by improving their reputation and legitimacy, without actually investing Drivers of greenwashing: 1. external: key role > lacks from regulators > cant get caught 2. internal: ethical climate of organization Greenwashing actors: - corporations - governments - politicians Tactics/types of greenwashing - means/end decoupling: employ irrelevant actions that only appear to solve a problem (‘sustainability apartment) - selective disclosure: only communication positive information (fabric is good, but not the circumstances) - dubious certifications and labels Use kids Impacts of greenwashing - perspective of greenwasher: no regulation is needed, they will solve the issue for us - affect product judgements and purchase behavior - undermines trust in environmental organizations - may lead to consumer cynicism and distrust 3 mayor mechanism that counter greenwashing 1. social media pressure: detection 2. ecolabels 3. government restrictions Literature Barnett et al. (2020) - The main point about corporate social responsibility (CSR) in most studies is that they mostly focus on how it affects a company's financial success. The authors explain that much of the research looks at why companies do CSR and what goals they aim for, but the results still mainly revolve around money. - A problem with relying on the many databases created since the 2000s is that the authors believe simply making more databases and using "big data" isn’t enough. They argue that the assessment of CSR efforts often depends on large public data sources. However, they think these databases and big data methods don't really help us understand the real social and environmental effects of CSR. - When the authors say "CSR research should be reconceptualized as a science of design," they are suggesting a new way to study CSR. They believe researchers should create CSR initiatives that target specific social and environmental goals. This means CSR researchers should focus on "small data" methods that help better understand cause-and-effect relationships instead of just finding connections. The authors stress that this new approach can make CSR research more effective, helping businesses' good intentions have a greater positive impact on society. Vredenburg et al. (2020) - Brand activism involves brands aligning their purpose, values, messaging, and practices with sociopolitical causes. The last part of the definition states that this alignment should be "sincere and credible." This aspect is addressed in the remainder of the article, as the authors emphasize the importance of authenticity and alignment in brand activism to drive social change effectively. - The authors propose a typology of brand activism based on the characteristics of purpose, values, messaging, and practices. They make a distinction between  different types of brand activism by examining how well these elements align with sociopolitical causes. - Before achieving "authentic brand activism," certain criteria must be met. Alignment of purpose and values Controversial and polarizing issues Progressive or conservative stances Alignment of message and practice - "Optimal incongruence" means the right amount of difference between a brand's reputation and the social or political issue it addresses in its activist messages. The authors think this is good for organizations because it lets genuine brands explore causes that enhance their image of being active and engaged. This difference gives consumers a chance to change and grow their understanding and expectations of the brand, which could help boost the brand's value. - Woke washing = where brands detach their communications from their purpose and values, potentially misleading consumers > promoting progressive social values, such as diversity, equity, and inclusion, without genuinely committing to these principles in their business practices or corporate culture. Ciszek & Logan (2018) - The authors say that it's hard to find dialogue in digital media. Instead of looking for something that's not there, they suggest focusing on something else. They propose studying moments of disagreement and conflict in digital communication. - An 'agonistic orientation toward dialogue' means that there is a focus on moments of disagreement and conflict in communication. It's about recognizing that not all communication is about agreement and understanding, and that conflict can also be important. - CSA stands for Corporate Social Advocacy, and CPA stands for Corporate Political Advocacy. They differ in what they advocate for. CSA focuses on social issues, like supporting social causes, while CPA focuses on political issues, like taking a stance on political matters - Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is a technique used to analyze language and communication to understand power relationships and social structures. The authors chose this technique to analyze Ben & Jerry's support for Black Lives Matter because it helps uncover underlying power dynamics and social issues in the discourse. It's a useful approach in this context because it helps reveal the deeper meanings and implications of the company's communication. Lyon & Montgomery (2015) - Greenwashing = misleading communication of environmental practices. - 'Decoupling' in greenwashing means that a company separates its environmental claims from its actual environmental performance. There are different types of decoupling, such as symbolic decoupling (using symbols or images to create a green image without real change), temporal decoupling (making short-term green efforts without long-term commitment), and spatial decoupling (shifting environmentally harmful activities to other locations). - The authors say that social media can make greenwashing worse by quickly spreading false environmental claims to many people. However, social media might  also play a different role in greenwashing by allowing the public to watch for and expose these dishonest practices. The authors propose three methods to combat greenwashing practices: - First, they mention government rules and laws that stop companies from making false claims about being environmentally friendly. - Second, they talk about using independent certifications and labels to check if a company's environmental claims are true. - Lastly, they mention the power of people and groups who can put pressure on companies to be honest about their environmental actions. The authors believe that government rules and laws are the most effective way to stop greenwashing. This means that having clear laws and making sure companies follow them is the best way to prevent false environmental claims. Lecture 4: Mediatization Mediatization = the way that other institutions adjust to the logic of the media > play the game by the media’s rules - Media are more than simply transmitters of information. They have their own goals and values and acts > this had an impact on other institutions - Some institutions adapt and use it in their own interest - All institutions are to a certain degree exposed to pressure from the media Two research traditions of mediatization 1. How everyday social practices are entangled with media technologies > going on vacation, concert 2. How social actors (institutions) adapt the logic of news media to manage public attention > meso/macro level Levels of analysis 1. macro = societal 2. meso = institutional 3. micro = individual Media practices are integrated in the entire organization Organizational consequences of mediatization: - human and financial resource: hiring pr experts - superstar ceo - timing: adjusted to rhythm of media - structure of organization aligned with media strategy: changing strategies Pseudo events = staged events for media attention (interviews) Public bureaucracies - non elected government officials and an administrative policy-making group - organizations within the government that implement public policies - they operate on behalf of the government but they're not politicians - rules/regulations/law Media logic - has a rhythm, grammar, time When these two different logics meet, which will dominate? - you see a lot of bureaucracies are struggling with media pressure - we have to appear in news, otherwise we don't exist > adjusting Logic of appropriateness: people function according to their own (social) values and norms, seems to be self evident > rather than what cost-benefit calculations consider best - biased of what we think should happen Bureaucratic perspective: let the starving animals die Public perspective: help the animals > media coverage (news logic: drama, emotion) Four responses of bureaucracies to mediatization 1. Adapting to rhythm of news - Always need to be available - Proactive: preparing press release 2. Adapting to language and format of news - Episodic (single events) - Informal language (story) - Conflict, faces, feelings 3. Belief in significance of news - Aware of media importance - Growth in communication budget: strategies 4. Reallocation of resources - Most fundamental effect - Changes in priorities of handling issues and cases - Change their procedures > even policies and laws Upside: mediatization has made public administration more transparent and accessible Downside: imbalance, meet the demands of the press > media can give a distorted view on what is important Science Scientific institution needs to legitimate their value to the public, take care of their reputation - engage with the general public Analytical categories 1 - structures of expectations: how organizations change (structures, norms, script) - structures of interpretations: how organizations believe how they should adjust their goals to meet media > following what is societally a hot topic Analytical categories 2 - offensive strategy: use the media to reach their own goals - defensive strategy: fear that the impact of media limits them, avoiding media attention Most organization adapt to the preference of media, but also try to gain from it Mediatization of sports Example Strava: if it is not on strava, it didn't happen Example women not wanting in the media: sports needs media and press Deep mediatization = sports organizations provide news themselves - they don't need the mainstream media Media become sport - e-sports Transactional: individual athlete talking to media Ritual: Adapting to the logic, what to (not) say Functional: Sports person as media figures Literature Ihlen & Pallas (2014) > corporations - Mediatization of organizations means that companies change how they operate because of the influence of the media. They adjust their actions, messages, and strategies to fit what the media wants and how the media works. This means they care a lot about how they are presented in news articles, social media, and other forms of media. Besides spending more money and hiring more people for public relations (PR), the authors mention several other effects of mediatization on organizations: - CEO Visibility: Companies try to make their leaders, like CEOs, more visible in the media to build a positive image. - Timing of Information: Organizations plan when to share good and bad news based on media timing to get the best coverage. - Changing Strategies: Companies change their internal structures and policies to align with media practices, like focusing more on communication and media relations. Pseudo events are events that are created mainly for the purpose of getting media attention. They are not real events that happen naturally but are staged or planned to attract coverage (apple die een grote launch doet voor de media) Thorbjornsrud et al. (2014) > public bureaucracies - Bureaucratic logic is how government organizations traditionally work. It is slow, careful, and follows strict rules. Bureaucrats make decisions based on laws and detailed procedures. Everything must be fair, neutral, and well-documented.  - News logic is how the media works. It is fast, focuses on quick stories, and uses simple language. News often looks for emotional stories and can focus on people or events that get public attention. - They are opposite logics because bureaucratic logic is about fairness and rules, while news logic is about speed, emotions, and getting attention. Bureaucratic logic focuses on accuracy and procedure, while news logic values what is interesting or popular in the moment. - You can see mediatization in the communication departments of public sector organizations, where staff deal with the media. It also shows how bureaucrats change their routines, trying to respond faster to media questions and using simpler language to fit the news format. - To analyze mediatization, look at how much time and resources organizations spend on preparing for media inquiries, and how much they adjust their work to fit the media’s fast schedule. You can also examine if they start prioritizing tasks based on what the media is covering rather than what is important by the organization’s standards. Mediatization has both good and bad sides. - It can be good because it makes government organizations more open to the public, using simple language and being faster at responding. This can make them more transparent and easier for people to understand. - However, it can be bad if it makes bureaucrats prioritize what is popular in the news over what is truly important or necessary. It might also lead to unfair decisions if they change policies based on media pressure rather than following proper procedures. Therefore, while it can help communication, it could hurt fairness and objectivity in decision-making. Scheu (2019) > science - The concept driving change is New Public Management. It’s a way of running organizations, including universities, more like businesses. It focuses on competition, measuring performance, and showing results to the public. (show public that your work has value) Media publicity helps scientific organizations, like universities, get the public’s attention. This is important because: - funding - show the public their work benefits society - Media coverage can influence policy and public opinion, which can help or harm their reputation and success. 5 types of organizations 1. Opposing mediatization: Organizations critical of media influence, applying minimal mediatization strategies. They view media attention as largely irrelevant to their work. 2. Working towards mediatization: Organizations that see mediatization positively but are limited in implementing changes due to a lack of resources. 3. Defensive mediatization: These organizations adopt defensive strategies to protect themselves from negative media influence, focusing on maintaining autonomy.  4. Balanced mediatization: Organizations that balance both offensive and defensive mediatization strategies, adapting to media while safeguarding core functions 5. Offensive mediatization: Proactively use media as a strategic tool to gain visibility, influence policy agendas, and secure funding, with extensive mediatization adaptations. 'third-person effect' concerning medialization of evaluative orientations = This means that people think media affects others more than it affects them. In the article, decision-makers in scientific organizations believe that media influences other people’s decisions and values more than their own. They think they’re less affected by media, but they assume others (like politicians or other organizations) are heavily influenced by it. Ličen et al. (2022) Media technologies changes: - broadcasting, medium - interaction with fans - organization of sports - leagues have their own channel > control image Three ideal types of media dependencies - Transactional Dependency: Sports need media for exposure and revenue, leading them to adapt to media's needs. An example of this could be athletes modifying their training schedules to align with media coverage, sacrificing some autonomy to gain exposure and recognition. - Ritual Dependency: Sports culture is influenced by media, shaping how fans and athletes behave. An example could be the influence of media on the behavior and routines of fans, such as specific game-day rituals or traditions inspired by media coverage. - Functional Dependency: Some sports or activities become completely reliant on media, like esports or athletes who track their performance digitally. An example could be the rise of esports, where the sport itself is transformed to be entirely dependent on digital media for its existence and operation. The matrix crosses these three levels of social systems with three types of media dependencies to explain how mediatization affects sports. - Interaction level: one athlete - At the organization level, transactional dependency might be a sports league working with broadcasters for exposure. Ritual dependency would be the league adapting schedules or rules for TV. Functional dependency would be when a sports league owns a TV channel, fully merging media and sport (like the NBA with NBA TV). - Society level Media logic = The norms, formats, and routines that guide media content production and consumption Lecture 5: Crisis Communication Crisiscommunication = perception/reputationmanagement - what we feel and think without having much information - crisis recognition and responses to it How to recognize a crisis? When something terrible seems to happen As an imminent and potentially existential threat of one’s: - Safety/security: of life or animals - Reputation - Organisation itself - Idea: something found out that the idea is useless - Product/service - Other important stuff Crisis depends on context - Everything can look great but look around you at what is going on. If the context is terrible, there is danger around you - perception becomes reality Communication/PR people offer 1. Crisis PR strategy: make a plan for people who feel in crisis 2. Reputation management 3. Being available, direct, consistent, detached: always an instant issue, handle it professional 4. Analysis, agenda setting, action: what is going on, what are we going to do, take action Theory of image restoration (Benoit) - based on image, perception of a threat - reaction on crisis is human: blame someone else Situational Crisis Communication (Coombs) - Based on attribution theory: a person attributes responsibility for an event and will experience an emotional reaction to the event. Attribute it to the person accountable. - Depends on the situation - Attribution of responsibility, combined with emotions, leads to stakeholder behavior. - Coombs: the communication during/after a crisis should fit he reputational threat > how people perceive what we are doing There is a crisis > shared responsibility - history: when did it start - prior relationship - effect: what did it create What did all of this do with the reputation? What did we learn from it for the future? 1. Assess the crisis type: SCCT categorizes crises into three clusters based on the level of responsibility attributed to the organization 2. Determine crisis responsibility: Evaluate how much responsibility stakeholders attribute to the organization for the crisis. More responsibility implies a greater threat to the organization's reputation. 3. Analyze crisis history and prior relationship: If the organization has experienced similar crises before or has a poor relationship with stakeholders, these factors can increase the reputational threat. A negative history can make even a minor crisis appear more severe. 4. Select crisis response strategies: SCCT provides several strategies based on the type of crisis (deny, diminish, rebuild) 5. Communicate effectively: Address both physical and psychological concerns of stakeholders by providing information on what happened, what steps are being taken, and how similar incidents will be prevented. Show empathy towards those affected. 6. Maintain consistency: Ensure that the chosen strategies align with each other. Mixing contradictory strategies (e.g., denying responsibility while offering compensation) can confuse stakeholders and erode the effectiveness of the response. Crisis types 1. Victim cluster: the organization is a victim of the crisis (low risk) 2. Accidental cluster: the organizational actions leading to the crisis were unintentional (moderate risk) 3. Preventable cluster: the organizational knowingly placed people at risk, took inappropriate action or violated a law (high risk) > will influence whether stakeholders will help you etc. Crisis response strategies Primary crisis response strategies: deny crisis response strategies - attack - denial - scapegoat: blames someone else - excuse: denying intent to harm, claiming inablity - justification - compensation - apology Secondary crisis response strategies: bolstering crisis response strategies (strengthening reputation, you really want to be a respectable organization) - reminder: tell about past good works - ingratiation: praises stakeholders  - victimage: organization is a victim Readiness = to have a better understanding of what organizations do well in types of crisis. - the power of organizations with dealing with crisis To do in PR (helpful) - engage with critics: listen to them - learn from criticism - generate positive news: how you solve it, bury it under good news. If we see good stuff we think, its okay - be quick with the facts, slow with the blame: let me investigate and i will get back to you Do pr people have control in the media? - pr people engage with media - churnalism: journalism has less control in media - journalism still has power Literature Coombs (2007) SCCT Framing in Communication: The way information is presented shapes stakeholders' perceptions and attributions of responsibility regarding a crisis. Effective framing can influence how people define problems and propose solutions. Crisis Responsibility Clusters: Crises are categorized into three clusters based on the level of responsibility attributed to the organization: - Victim Cluster: Weak attributions of responsibility (e.g., natural disasters, rumors). - Accidental Cluster: Minimal attributions of responsibility (e.g., unintentional technical errors).  - Intentional Cluster: Strong attributions of responsibility (e.g., organizational misconduct). Influence of History and Reputation: Prior crises and the organization's past relationship with stakeholders intensify the reputational threat. A history of crises or a negative reputation leads to increased perceptions of responsibility and potential damage to reputation. Crisis Assessment Steps: Crisis managers should first identify the type of crisis to gauge the initial responsibility and then assess how past history and relationships will affect reputational threats. Emotional Reactions: Attributions of crisis responsibility can lead to emotional responses such as anger and schadenfreude, which further impact stakeholders' behaviors and intentions toward the organization. Crisis Response Strategies: The effectiveness of crisis communication depends on the response strategies, which can be categorized into three groups based on perceived responsibility: - Deny: Denying the crisis or blaming others. - Diminish: Minimizing responsibility or damage. - Rebuild: Taking full responsibility, offering apologies, or compensating victims. Communication Control: Organizations must control their messaging to influence the media narrative, as stakeholders often adopt the media’s framing of events. Cost vs. Benefit of Strategies: While more accommodating strategies (like apologies and compensation) are effective in rebuilding reputation, they can be costly. Overly positive strategies may suggest the crisis is more severe than it is, making strategic evaluation crucial. Resource Limitations: Financial constraints may necessitate choosing less effective crisis response strategies, though these can undermine reputational recovery. The Role of the Media: The media plays a key role in shaping the crisis frame, and crisis managers often have to work within the narratives established by media coverage or online discussions. Jin et al. (2024) The study aimed to understand how crisis READINESS is defined and distinguished from preparedness and resilience. It found that: - READINESS is often seen as a proactive mindset characterized by awareness, willingness, and the ability to implement effective actions quickly. - Preparedness is viewed as a physical state involving resources, plans, and training to handle potential crises. - Resilience is defined as the ability to adapt and recover from crises. Themes Identified:  - Mindset: Participants described READINESS as a mindset leading to quick and effective action. - Interrelatedness: The three concepts (READINESS, preparedness, resilience) are interrelated and contribute to effective crisis management, although there are differing opinions on their specific relationships. - Antecedents and Outcomes: Key antecedents of READINESS include organizational culture (emphasizing openness, trust, and transparency) and preparedness. Potential outcomes of READINESS identified include minimized harm, increased reputation, and resilience. Van der Meer et al. (2017) - The study highlights a research gap in understanding the interaction between organizations and stakeholders during crises, emphasizing the importance of considering individual stakeholders' roles in communication processes - Important stakeholders: media, interested citizens, management and employees. - Stakeholder relationships are crucial for an organization's reputation, both in normal times and during crises, underscoring the need for effective communication and collaboration with stakeholders to mitigate negative crisis outcomes. - Pressure: organizations often pull away from the news, the public, and their employees when a crisis happens. This can slow down efforts to solve the crisis because everyone may have a different understanding of the situation, and the organization and its stakeholders may not see the crisis in the same way. > be on the same line with you internal people Eriksson (2018) Traditional Media Dominance: Television, radio, and public events remain the most effective tools for crisis communication. Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter are seen as complementary rather than primary sources, especially for engaging diverse audiences with varying information needs. - Complementary Role of Social Media: Social media should be integrated into a broader communication strategy that includes traditional media. While social media can enhance outreach, audiences primarily use these platforms for personal communication, not for critical crisis information. Best practices: 1. Use social media for dialogue: In a crisis, organizations should engage with the public by being active on social media. They must choose the right message, source, and time to communicate > get feedback quickly 2. Prepare before the crisis: understanding how social media works and building a strong network early. > social media guidelines and a presence on multiple platforms, so that during a crisis, people know where to get updates. 3. Monitoring: checking comments, an organization can address concerns before they escalate. 4. Traditional media: traditional media like TV and radio remain powerful tools during a crisis. 5. Use social media by itself: spread information quickly a b Guest lecture Practical ground rules crisis communication - be well prepared: scenario’s, q&a’s - don't panic - keep the initiative & be proactive: reaction - move fast - stay updated about the facts - close the lines & internal before external: everyone is on the same page Learnings: - Internal communication before external - Good relationship with the press - Deliver on your promises Lecture 6: Organizations in the media UvA in the media Surprised by events: example puppy cuddling in library: - decentralized organization: not aware of everything that is happening, journalists keep them updated > but they are not aware - lots of media attention Tools, press release, day to day operations - Researchers as ambassadors for UvA, get research out there - Journalists ask questions - Getting invited on the news > check everything beforehand about the situation Pitching items to the press - Getting a journalist to write about you is hard - smart.pr Media strategy > avoid sensational press > keep control Monitoring impact after release Responding to events: keep an eye on social media Issue a statement > quick, clean and clear Message campaign: Importance of science in daily issues Literature: Cox & Schwarze (2022) How environmental ngo’s deal with media Dependant on the success of media visibility - No news > can't fight for their cause - Creative in getting media attention - Newsworthy events > to target relevant audiences (policy makers) - Drama and emotion > framing - Rely on social media > mainstream media can pick it up - Make sure the message is align with the media, you want you message to be unfiltered - You don't have influence on the article and media frame - Thin line between maintaining legitimacy and being visible (getting called cult) Future research on ngo’s - Their strategy - Actual effects: how effective are these campaigns - Network analysis on how the message is being taken up on the online landscape - in depth interviews Alignment for effective communication: effective communication requires alignment between media, messages, and intended outcomes. This means that the communication strategy must integrate the choice of media platforms, the framing of messages, and the goals the organization seeks to achieve. Without this alignment, efforts may fail to reach the intended audience or achieve the desired impact Challenges for ENGO in their media efforts: - Visibility: Getting attention from mainstream and digital media is a fundamental challenge. Media tends to prioritize short, attention-grabbing events, which can conflict with the slower, ongoing nature of environmental campaigns. - Framing Issues: ENGOs often struggle to maintain control over how their messages are framed in the media. Media outlets may distort or misrepresent their positions, affecting their credibility. - Oppositional Media: ENGOs may face counter-messaging from groups with opposing interests, like industry players, making it harder for their voice to stand out​ > they cant control how the media frames their message Challenge with digital media: ENGOs face difficulties managing message flow and meaning in the open, unpredictable space of digital platforms like social media. While these platforms increase visibility and engagement, they complicate the control over messaging and outcomes. Guenther et al. (2024) Churnalism (copy and paste journalism) - Reliance on third party materials without verification (fact checking) or editorial input - One source - Lack of resources and time to do it yourself No one wants to pay for news > business model in threat > less money > less journalists > less original investigation Harmful for journalism as well as science Alternative thought: a good journalist will still be able to distinguish between objective and flawed news. Journalists still hold gatekeeping function Pressures on Journalists: Journalists face heightened workloads, being required to produce more content across various platforms in less time. This has led to a reliance on PR materials, which are cheaper and quicker than investigative journalism. Science journalism is more vulnerable to churnalism compared to other beats due to several factors. Science journalists often rely on expert sources because of the specialized knowledge required to interpret scientific data. This dependence makes them susceptible to PR material provided by research institutions and scientists themselves, who actively engage in public communication efforts. Furthermore, newsroom cuts and increased workloads force science journalists to resort to these ready-made materials, contributing to the spread of churnalism Three Consequences of Churnalism: - Loss of journalistic independence: Churnalism makes journalism less independent because it reduces the range of topics and sources that reporters use. This means that those in power, like scientists, aren't held accountable as much as they should be. As a result, journalism becomes less about investigating the truth and more about supporting the interests of the people who provide the information. - Erosion of public trust: When journalists rely too much on promotional material without questioning it, they can create a false impression of scientific research. This makes the public expect clear and definite results that might never happen. When these expectations aren't met, people start to lose trust in both journalism and science. - Homogeneity in news content: Churnalism causes news stories to become less unique and more alike, with the same information appearing in many places. This lack of variety, called pack journalism, limits the different perspectives available to the public and lowers the overall quality of news reporting. The authors consider the use of news agency copy potentially positive if it is of high quality. Such material can save time for journalists, allowing them to focus on more in-depth research, contextualization, and investigative journalism. The key challenge is finding new models—such as crowdfunding or sponsored desks—that support independent, quality journalism. Jackson & Moloney (2016) What is the impact of technology on pr and journalism? Developments that changed the relationship - Technology changes practice and relationships: interactions with pr and journalist are digitally > more distance > efficacy > ready to use content - Structural changes in media industry: culture of speed, pressure for quickly content, rely on pr material > more coverage for pr Reasons to target online news: - ranking higher in search engine results > more visibility - easier access and coverage Editorial subsidies = content that PR practitioners create, which is essentially ready-to-publish news copy tailored to specific journalists or outlets. This content includes complete stories, key messages, and sometimes multimedia elements. - Unlike traditional press releases, which offer basic information that a journalist has to develop into a full story, editorial subsidies are pre-packaged to fit directly into news articles, reducing the journalist’s workload PR-Journalist Power Dynamics: Although PR has gained influence due to factors like newsroom cuts and the rise of digital media, many PR practitioners still feel journalists hold the upper hand, especially in competitive national media. The balance of power is situational, often dependent on the client’s prominence and the nature of the story. While many PR practitioners feel professional satisfaction when their content is used without alteration by journalists, there is also concern over the implications for journalistic integrity. Some PR professionals express worries about the decline of independent journalism and the potential manipulation of public opinion.