Communicating with the Media

(Please note: The CEO and Chief Marketing Officer should be the only two people that respond directly to media inquiries.)

Process for Answering Phone Inquiries:

In the event that anyone from the media calls you and/or the 800 number asking to speak to the CEO, CFO, CMO, etc. 1. Ask the caller “What is this in reference to?”

2. Instead of “Let me transfer you to ……..,” please say “The best person for you to speak with would be our Chief Marketing Officer. She is unable to take your call at the moment so let me take down your information and we will have her call you back.”

3. Take the name, media source and phone number of the caller, as well as the reason for the call.

4. Send the Executive Team (CEO, CHRO, CFO and CMO) an e-mail with all that information and mark High Importance.

5. Unless the Chief Marketing Officer is unable to get e-mail and/or on vacation, they will respond back that they have received the message and will do the follow up.

Otherwise, another member of the Executive Team will follow up in their place.

Notes for the Executive Team Member Responding to the Media:

1. CONFINE STORY to place where incident occurred. (Do not speak for other councils, camps or GSUSA.) 2. PUT STORY INTO PERSPECTIVE and talk about number of years of service without incident. 3. MAKE MESSAGE CONSISTENT regardless of who is speaking. 4. COORDINATE ALL MESSAGES within the council. (Let membership/program, etc. know what the council is saying to the media.) 5. AVOID COMPARISONS with other situations, other companies and other councils. 6. LIMIT STATEMENTS to verified facts and actions. (Media will pressure you to speed up the process. Take time to verify.) NEVER SPECULATE! 7. PREPARE FOR YOUR EXPOSURE. Anticipate questions and work as a team to prepare responses. Give verified facts only, avoid defensiveness, report what you are immediately doing to make a situation better, don’t speculate and turn negatives into positives. Focus on the message and keep going back to it regardless of the reporter’s question. 8. TV NEWS IS EDITED IN BYTES. Be concise. Each response may be your ONLY response. Give responses in full sentences. 9. NEVER SAY “not at liberty to say” or “no comment.” Instead, use “We haven’t yet established what happened.” Or, “I have no information about that, but once I find out I will alert you.”