TVP Comms Welcomes Kristine Maloney

Posted on May 15, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

I am pleased to introduce the newest member of the TVP Communications team. Kristine Maloney joins us as senior strategist after assisting College of the Holy Cross for eleven years, most recently serving as director of national communications and media relations.

I had the distinct pleasure of working with her early in her career, and even then knew she was a healthy mix of tenacity and talent. Kristine has served as my gold standard—I’ve measured many of our peers against her personality and media successes and am thrilled she has joined us. With her onboard, our higher education capabilities are even more robust.

Feel free to drop Kristine a line at kristine@tvpcommunications.com. If you aren’t doing so already, please consider following her on Twitter (@kristinemaloney and @tvpcomms) and connecting on LinkedIn.

In Aftermath of Marathon Bombings, a Salute to MIT’s Crisis Response

Posted on May 2, 2013 by kristinemaloney

The City of Boston is home to more than 152,000 students at 35 colleges and universities—and all of them were affected by the Boston Marathon bombings. Many had alumni, students, faculty and staff injured in the blasts. All were in lockdown during the massive manhunt for the suspects. All needed to communicate critical, safety-related information to their communities in the hours and days after the bombings. But three institutions, in particular, were impacted in even more profound ways.

Boston University graduate student Lu Lingzi was among those killed in the explosions on April 15. MIT officer Sean Collier died from gunshot wounds incurred during a related crime spree on April 18. And UMASS Dartmouth sophomore Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is the 19-year-old suspect in the case. (Yesterday, three other UMASS Dartmouth students were arraigned on related charges.)

These universities faced enormous communications challenges amidst rapidly changing and unprecedented circumstances. To complicate an already difficult situation, there was little official information being released by the FBI, round-the-clock breaking news coverage to deal with, and rumors and other misinformation being reported (even by reputable outlets like CNN!). Not to mention, much of the situation unfolded in the middle of the night, when college and university crisis teams weren’t on campus.

It’s easy in hindsight to find communications mistakes in crisis situations. For example, UMASS Dartmouth’s Facebook page reveals some parents and students felt inadequately informed—justifiably or not—about the evacuation of campus so that federal authorities could search the suspect’s room.

Yet, while I am a believer that there is a lot to learn by recognizing missteps, there are also great lessons to be learned in what was done right. And, MIT, in particular, did a whole lot right. Here are three things I thought they handled beautifully:

Homepage

Here’s what the MIT homepage looks like today.

Here’s what their homepage looked like immediately following the shooting of Officer Collier.

And then, just hours later:

MIT reacted without delay and in a highly visible way on their homepage to the unfolding tragedy. Both the initial posting, with background image removed and large, red emergency text, as well as the main image of the MIT badge and the “spotlight” box with the larger, bolded headline made it instantly clear to visitors that the campus was in the midst of an emergency situation and pointed people in the direction of additional information.

Timeline

Linked directly from the homepage, their timeline was updated every 20 minutes or so from the time Officer Collier was shot to the time the suspect was apprehended. Updates included new information when available as well as safety reminders and instructions. Similar updates were posted to social media throughout the evening of Thursday, April 18 and during the day on Friday, April 19.

Initial postings were focused on the immediate emergency and keeping people safe. Later posts offered counseling and other services to help people cope with the week’s events. Most importantly MIT made good on their promise to keep the community informed and provided the right kind of information at the right times.

Officer Collier/Media

By the early morning hours on April 19, the MIT community had received an email from the institution’s executive vice president/treasurer and its chancellor notifying them of Officer Collier’s death, the cancellation of classes for the day, and the president’s plans to return to campus from a trip abroad as soon as possible. A full obituary, including quotes from the president and other officers was posted by the time people were waking up to start their days. This was important not only for the campus community, but also for journalists, who had been on the air since the night before providing coverage of the manhunt with little substantive information to report. Throughout the day on April 19, and in the week that followed, MIT students and administrators did hundreds of interviews with media outlets all over the world about Collier. And at a memorial for him on campus last week before a live audience of 15,000 and a television audience of millions, against the backdrop of an enormous American flag, they demonstrated to the world the strength and closeness of the MIT community, as well as the compassion of its students and staff.

It’s unfortunate—as it is in so many cases—that it took a tragedy to expose MIT’s strengths to the world, but I’m not sure anyone could have walked away from the coverage of Officer Collier’s memorial with anything other than a sense of pride in the institution. Given the situation they were dealt, they certainly made a positive impression.

(TVP Communications extends sincerest sympathies to the families and friends of all those killed in the bombings and related incidents and healing thoughts to the many still recovering from injuries.)

Quick Crisis Advice from My Daughter

Posted on April 25, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

I’m lucky to have a twelve-year-old daughter who grounds me. Below is a picture she said made her think of me. I think it is perfect advice when dealing with a crisis. Enjoy!

Be Ready When Big News Breaks: Start by Revisiting Your Experts Guide

Posted on April 23, 2013 by kristinemaloney

Last week was a busy one for journalists across the country—and around the world. From the Boston Marathon bombings and Texas fertilizer plant explosion here in the U.S., to the earthquake in China, extended coverage of major, breaking news flooded the media landscape and journalists were scrambling to find expert sources to help make sense of things. Faculty from colleges and universities—with expertise in everything from seismology and architecture to Chechnyan politics and PTSD to chemistry and environmental safety—were in particularly high demand.

So, let last week serve as a reminder to be ready when big news breaks. As a starting point, consider revisiting your online experts guide to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency. Below are a few stellar examples of user-friendly guides with advanced search functionalities, that highlight current events, breaking news and trending topics.

DePaul University

I am a longtime admirer of DePaul’s online experts guide. Within hours of the Boston Marathon bombings, they had featured a conflict historian who was available to speak about the events on their guide’s homepage. As I’m writing this, an expert who can discuss the ricin letters sent to the White House and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, is highlighted. They also have more extensive search functionality than many guides. For example, they provide options to do a quick search of their database by typing in keywords, or by browsing an extensive list of categories and faculty members. Media relations contacts are listed clearly on the main page so journalists don’t have to go digging for that information, and their database seems to be optimized for top search engine results. Many Google searches for experts on particular topics point you back to DePaul’s guide.

UCLA

UCLA also does a particularly nice job with their online experts guide. Through their “Today’s Topic” content box, which is currently focused on the Boston Marathon bombings and related manhunt, they link to media advisories listing all experts available for commentary on a particular topic. They also have a “Selected Subjects” section, highlighting other ongoing topics in the news like the U.S. economy, health care reform, and same-sex marriage. Like DePaul, they provide several different search functionalities, but an added feature is their interview-style video of faculty members speaking on newsworthy issues. These are helpful particularly for larger, national broadcast outlets which thoroughly vet experts through a pre-interview process and are often looking for examples of how a particular expert behaves on camera. Though producing the videos takes significant resources, they can be extremely useful in helping to land an interview with influential and wide-reaching media outlets.

Emory University

Emory’s expert guide shares many similar features with DePaul and UCLA. They, too, include university-produced video of faculty experts commenting on issues currently in the news, but they take it one step further. Their videos also include b-roll and are almost like complete news packages, so you really get a sense of the kind of contributions their faculty could make to a media news story. Their “breaking news tip sheets” also provide extensive and quotable commentary from their experts related to specific news stories. They have “packaged” their experts in a way that makes them particularly desirable to journalists.

Some other things to consider when creating—or revamping—your online faculty expert guide include:

Make sure search engine optimization is part of your strategy. Many journalists will start with a general Google search for an expert that will lead them to a college or university site/guide.
Promote faculty members featured in your guide through news features, press releases and social media, particularly in a breaking news situation. Providing as many ways as possible for reporters to find your experts is key.
Update your guide frequently with fresh, newsworthy content. This also helps push your content to the top of Google searches.

Quick Tips Regarding Your Website and Crisis Alerts

Posted on March 19, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

First, I want to send genuine good thoughts to Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis. I hope their website update is only a drill and nothing more.

Having said that, the appearance of their website alert language is an important reminder to all of us to test the look and feel of our emergency messages in advance of an emergency. Make sure the text is readable (size matters!) so people can find the information they need during confusing times. Also, check to see how it looks on mobile devices and tablets, not just traditional desktop browsers.

Also, as pointed out by my colleague Rachel Reuben of Ithaca College, if your alert language includes a hyperlink for more information, make sure your link includes more information. This is the linked IUPUI page:

Note that no further details or guidance are provided.

And, as always, remember that it is easier to Monday quarterback than to be in the game.

A sincere wish for a good outcome for IUPUI.

College Students, Debt and Financial Behaviors…Oh My!

Posted on March 6, 2013 by kylegunnels

This past week, Money Matters on Campus, a new report detailing the findings from a survey of 40,000 first-year college students from across the U.S. was released, demonstrating to colleges and universities how student financial problems not only impact individual student outcomes but also the institutional mission.

The study—conducted by EverFi and sponsored by Higher One—surveyed students on a variety of issues related to banking, savings, credit cards and school loans. You can download the full report here.

Not only did the survey uncover a variety of predictive behaviors and attitudes related to student financial decisions (many of which are alarming), but the report also details recommended actions to be taken in order to address the issue of financial literacy. The infographic below that summarizes the survey’s key findings.

A Lesson in How to Handle Volatile Press Conferences

Posted on February 14, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

Thanks to my colleague, Chris Syme of CKSyme.org, for allowing us to post her recommendations on press conference best practices when your spokesperson is filled with emotion. All five of her tips are critically important. I highly encourage you to follow Chris’s blog and learn great social media strategy and tactics from one of the best! Sincerely, TVP

On Thursday night, Syracuse head basketball coach Jim Boeheim held his usual media press conference after an upset loss to rival University of Connecticut. When ESPN basketball analyst Andy Katz wanted to ask a question, Boeheim responded by saying he would answer anyone’s questions but Katz, and called him an idiot and a “really disloyal person.” Even though Boeheim was very calm delivering his shots at Katz, it was clear that Boeheim’s emotions were frazzled and challenged after his team, rated number six in the nation, lost their final-ever conference meeting with unrated UConn.

The incident presents some questions. How can athletic department communicators prevent this kind of PR disaster…or can they? Some may even feel that journalists “have it coming” and don’t desire to thwart these kinds of interactions.

There may not be a definitive answer, but here are five alternative steps to lower the risk of these reputation killers. The fans and the journalists are not going to be wild about any of these options, but the alternatives can save emotional turmoil for coaches, players, and schools in these tough situations.

1. Schedule “one-on-one interviews only” after devastating losses. There is no law that says coaches have to appear in a public free-for-all press conference immediately following a game. In the event of a devastating loss or personal tragedy surrounding a game (athlete injury, event venue emergency, etc.), communications associates should have the freedom to set up an alternate venue arrangement where selected journalists can have one-on-one access to the coach for a prescribed number of minutes after a game. The rest of the journalists can receive their post-game quotes via the sports information director in a timely manner following the game. The practice of issuing quotes from a central source is used at NCAA men’s basketball tournaments and works just fine.

All it would take would be an announcement immediately following the game that the coach is going to meet one-on-one with pre-selected writers, and the rest will receive post-game quotes as soon as the interviews are over. The model of a huge post-game presser is not always in the best interest of the schools, players, and coaches. We shouldn’t be afraid to ditch the model when need be. If conference rules dictate the public post-game presser, maybe they should be re-worked. Not every coach will want this option, but some will.

2. Offer a well-trained assistant coach instead of the head coach. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski uses this option for post-game television interviews immediately following the game, and it is a good practice. Granted television viewers would rather hear Coach K talk about the game, but we’ve come to accept that associate head coach Chris Collins knows just as much about why they won or lost as Coach K does. Plus, it’s good training for the assistants to be put in the spotlight as well. Their emotion is diffused by the fact that they are substituting for their leader in a tough situation. A presser by the assistant could be followed by selective one-on-ones with the head coach.

3. Set down protocols and rules for head coaches in public press conferences. Like it or not, coaches are representatives of the school’s reputation. When they sign their contract, they should sign on to the rules and protocols that protect the school’s reputation and honor the position of media members credentialed for the public conferences. If coaches break the rules, they may need to be fined or disciplined by the school or conference. Head coaches can sometimes have a sense of entitlement about their positions, but departments shouldn’t be afraid to set down strict rules and consequences for coaches to follow.

4. All coaches required to speak to the public should have media training that includes how to message the negative. It’s one thing to teach them how to smile and stand in front of a camera, but it’s another to teach them how to use message templates to answer difficult questions. We should be giving them the tools to be successful under pressure. I think we all know that the quality of being calm and professional under pressure is not innate in all coaches. Also, discourage coaches from developing relationships with media members that may cause the coaches to think of them as friends instead of journalists.

5. Don’t be afraid to selectively credential media people for public press conferences. I don’t believe that giving a media person a seat courtside to cover the game automatically gets them into the post-game presser. Those are privileged seats, in my thinking, and all schools shouldn’t feel pressure to give all the media unrestrained access to their coaches and student-athletes after a game. Just make sure the credentialing process is systematic so journalists know why they are or are not included.

Again, this may conflict with conference or television contract rules, and should be a discussion point with those offices. You may want to consider a two-tiered credentialing process for your events—one to cover the game and one to enter the press conference after. This also sends a message to media that access to the coach after the game is a privilege and not a right.

There are ways to lower the risk of a reputation-hindering event happening at a public press conference following a devastating loss or personal tragedy. Hopefully, schools will actively reconsider the long accepted post-game protocols of wide open press conferences. Coaches and schools should have the option to construct a post-game protocol that puts them in the best light possible, but still gives journalists and fans access.

Where in the World is TVP?

Posted on January 29, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

Just a quick note to say that I will be conducting media training as a pre-conference session for the CASE Development for Deans and Academic Leaders conference on February 6th in Bonita Springs, Florida. If you have a dean or leader attending, this is a great opportunity for them to learn Fundraising 101 and also hear about communications strategies for their new post. I highly, highly encourage attendance. The participants always ask the best questions and are most forthcoming with their greatest media fears.

Also, I was fortunate enough to be asked to join the faculty for the CASE Parent Programs workshop, which will be held in Nashville on March 6-8th. I’m excited to help Parent Programs professionals (say that ten times fast!) make the case for why they need to be a part of proactive and crisis communications.

Finally, the word doodle at the beginning of this post represents all of the conferences I’ve presented or keynoted at over the past four years. More importantly, it represents the may places I’ve connected with peers and made some amazing connections .

Lone Star Wrap-up and Final Thoughts (4:30 PM MT)

Posted on January 22, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

It appears that the Lone Star College situation is coming to resolution with serious injuries, not fatalities. I’m saddened to hear there are injuries, but thankful that the scope and severity of the situation didn’t increase from the preliminary reports.

With the situation winding down, I have some quick observations from a Monday quarterback.

Be careful how and when you use the terms “danger has been mitigated” and “the situation is under control.” I encourage using those terms, but only when they are true by anyone’s definition.

In this situation, the phrases were used during an interview with CNN. When questioned, the spokesperson stated that the situation was not over, but instead the alleged gunman was no longer on campus. You can still express a leadership stance without using language that suggests the situation has come to conclusion.

More importantly, there was not an issuance of care, compassion or concern for those injured in the initial interview with CNN. The spokesperson was spot-on in protecting student privacy and delineating data and timeline, but the personal touch was missing. During the 5:10 PM Eastern press conference, the institution still did not lead with care, compassion and concern. My suggestion to them from here forward would be to add an appropriate level of emotion towards the victims.

Next, get official communications out quickly and issue statements on behalf of the institution with news cycles in mind. “Immediately” is better for online outlets and cable news networks, but the 5 PM and 6 PM news cycles still exist for local coverage. As of the posting of this entry, I was unable to find online a written statement from the institution. Include a link to that statement prominently on your crisis site.

The on-air commentary prior to the 5:10 PM ET press conference was a brainstorming of questions that had not been answered or information that was being reported differently across outlets (see image below). It is understandable to have situations move quickly, but share what you know once you are able to do so.

Finally, once a situation has come fully to conclusion, be sure to communicate that to your audiences, too. Sometimes we are too exhausted for that last step, but our audiences greatly appreciate it. Doing this last step allows everyone to see the situation as truly “mitigated” and “under control.”

Lone Star College: Association and Fact Sheet Help (As of 12:50 PM MT)

Posted on January 22, 2013 by teresavalerioparrot

The CNN reporter was asking their live expert about the average demographic for community college students. The expert was unable to answer that question, much less in a way that aligns with how the industry describes community college students.

Add to your crisis resources: a link to landscape data from the association for your type of institution and your institution’s factsheet.

For Lone Star College, a link to the American Association of Community College industry data would be helpful.