New Year 2010

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Feature: The dawn of
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Event Report: My worst
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Interview: Romana
Canneti, media lawyer

Stempra newsletter

EVENT REPORT: My worst day in the office

A healthy balance of optimism and pessimism is a good way to cope in PR. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst; this was the conclusion of our meeting on 'My Worst Day in the Office'.

Big universities inevitably ride the occasional media storm – whether a staff member suing for dismissal, or a student convicted of terrorist activities. UCL's press office has handled a spate of recent tragedies: a fatal motorbike accident of a much-loved academic, a former PhD student shot while abroad, a student’s death at a fresher's event, and the loss of a staff member in the London terrorist attacks.

Calamities call for swift responses, but it takes a skilled press officer to strike the right balance between sensitively managing relatives' wishes and speedily answering urgent calls from hacks. We must throw in enough restraint to thoroughly check our facts before issuing a statement. Mistakes can and are made under such pressure.

Charities rely on public donations, and this can mean a press office has to work extra hard to keep public favour. A misdemeanour by a caller or volunteer can result in a long day for the charity's communications team, working to reassure the world they will be 'taking the necessary steps to ensure it doesn't happen again'.

How many of us have found ourselves in a similar position, using similar words? These are not the days we long for, but are the ones that allow us to prove the power of public relations.

Jenny Gimpel
Stempra committee member
Jenny@stempra.org.uk

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