Media Relations

CNN news anchor Chris Cuomo revealed a COVID diagnosis March 31, posting the update to Twitter and noting concern for his family ahead of his own health.

While in a holding pattern, some organizations are pivoting from content production to information gathering.

As the nation braces for what is likely to be a grim several weeks, social media feeds are intentionally devoid of the usual April Fools’ Day wit.

With so many brands and organizations over-communicating, there’s more clutter than usual.

You’ve created your coronavirus messaging plan and advised executives to communicate authentically, transparently and from the heart. Your job is far from over, though. Perhaps the most important thing a communicator can do at this time is to be available and make plans for the day when the coronavirus ebbs.

We don’t emotionally trust facts; we trust people – or we don’t.  As we process facts emotionally, we trust leaders who move beyond facts to speak in a voice that echoes how we feel, right now. At a time when the public is worried, communicating with the heart can help. Facts alone will not drive people to action, writes Gil Bashe, managing partner, global health, Finn Partners.

Coronavirus has resulted in remaking the media and social media worlds into one-subject universes, at least for now. As a result, PR pros pitching stories to content creators need to adjust. And before you do anything, make sure your pre-scheduled messages won’t offend during this unsettling moment. After that, adjust expectations and pitch with the content creator’s needs in mind.

So far, no country is able to control coronavirus. Arguably, South Korea is managing it, despite taking a very heavy hit. A communicator representing the Embassy of South Korea argues the country’s daily and transparent government communications protocol is playing a large role in the nation’s successful coronavirus management.

Joe Biden’s campaign was all but dead just weeks ago. Today he’s the frontrunner for a chance to unseat the president. Working with few resources and little infrastructure in Super Tuesday states, Biden communicators honed their messages and turned to garden-variety earned media and social media. It worked.

PR pros continue to consider earned media a valuable tool, according to a snap survey of 150 communicators. On the other hand, a majority say gaining media coverage is harder than ever. Perhaps as a result, 90 percent of those surveyed told us they spend very little time pitching and developing relationships with media.