By Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications Use gruesome video on the air or not? Name a suicide victim? Grant a silhouette interview and anonymity to a nervous informant? I found myself smack in the middle of innumerable heated ethical discussions – and sometimes knock-down-drag-out fights — over ethical issues throughout my 20-plus years managing TV newsrooms. […]
By Richard Levick Speaking with journalists, shareholders, customers and stakeholders is easy when the going is good. As the old saying goes, “We are all capitalists on the way up but socialists on the way down.” But when things turn bad? Communication suddenly becomes much more challenging. As another old saying goes, “The gods of […]
Whether it’s a staff meeting on Teams, a webinar on Zoom, a private conversation on FaceTime or a short training video you record on WebEx, it’s not just what you say, but how you say it. And if it’s an interview with a seasoned reporter, the stakes are even higher. You must be prepared to […]
Dionne Waugh, formerly a reporter and now a public information officer for the Boulder, Colorado Police Department, has deep experience helping police departments communicate with the public during critical incidents. That experience includes a mass shooting in 2021 when 10 people lost their lives. In a recent article by Wayne Parham written for Police Magazine, […]
By Linda Descano and Ellen Mallernee for PRNews Today’s news media environment is a direct reflection of consumers’ preference for a choose-your-adventure style of news consumption. For the most part, consumers choose where, how and from whom they get news. This means they may wind up at very different places. The mix of news people […]
By Pauline A. Howes, PRNews Strong quotations can add value, credibility and depth to news releases. Commonly accepted guidelines for news releases include using the style, content and tone of news articles and feature stories. This makes a release more compatible with media outlets’ styles. Additionally, a news release or feature article posted on an […]
By Abigail Greenheck for PRNews Leaders must communicate effectively in all situations—whether with teams, other leaders, key stakeholders or media. However, not all leaders receive proper training and communicating might not come naturally. Part of the communicator’s job is helping leaders develop skills so they can convey authenticity, confidence and clarity. Communication training empowers leaders […]
University Teams with Crisis Communications Expert Bruce Hennes in New Offering A new partnership between Ohio University’s Scripps College of Communication and Hennes Communications will allow communication professionals the opportunity to earn one credit hour towards a 12-hour graduate certificate in crisis communication. Anyone attending certain seminars taught by Hennes Communications, a crisis communications firm based in Cleveland, […]
By Howard Fencl, Hennes Communications – Blame your mom and dad. From day #1, we’re all taught that it’s polite to answer questions when we’re asked. Answer your parents’ questions. Answer your teacher’s questions. Answer your boss. So, our knee-jerk reflex when we wind up doing an interview with a reporter? Dutifully answer the questions. […]
By Seth Arenstein for PRNEWS As PR pros know well, communicating isn’t difficult, until it is. Even the media-trained make mistakes, say things they regret, forget a key talking point, let a journalist’s question, or something else, distract them. Press conferences sometimes are especially difficult. Communicators urge executives that ignoring everything but the questioner is the best […]