The key elements of media management in shipping

As the traditional rules with regards to the press and media are transforming, businesses, including shipping, need to redefine ways of managing their reputation. Having to deal with press and social media can be a difficult proposition for shipping companies, while ignoring them or badly managing them can also have serious consequences. So, there needs to be a plan for handling the media, developed proactively as a response to risk, not in response to an actual incident.

In November 2017, the Shipowners Club held a webinar on Managing in a Crisis, in partnership with Steven Jones and Louise McWatt of McWatt and Jones, covering key crisis management aspects such as how to react to an emergency, respond to a crisis and deal with affected stakeholders.

On the aftermath, the Club cited key elements of media management:

Get real: Perhaps the most important aspect of media management is assessing what the problems potentially are, and deciding to deal with them.
Philosophy: Just as with any other maritime issue; whether safety, the environment or security – there needs to be a top down approach to the issue of media management.
From crisis to opportunity: When anything goes wrong in the marine adventure the focus is on limiting the negative effects and liability.
What is the ‘media’: This is not just about newspapers and journalists, this is also about social media.
Responsibility: In deciding on a need for action and a philosophy, there needs to be responsibility and accountability within the company
Social media effect: There has been much made of the ‘democratisation’ effect that social media has brought.
People problems: Does the company have policies and protocols in place when it comes to social media usage onboard or in the office?
Soft touch: Unfortunately at sea, the temptation is all too often to impose some draconian rules for communication which make seafarers feel even more isolated and cut off.
Relationships: From reporters and journalists through to seafarers, relationships are key when it comes to media management, communications and public relations.
Don’t panic: Preparation and realism are the key elements of media management.

In addition, when reacting to an emergency, there is no time for a company to analyse every 'nuance', according to Mr. Mark Clark from Navigate Response, who cited 12 phrases to avoid when managing a media crisis.

As reputations are defined by the human part of a company’s story, preventing losses can be achieved by providing communications awareness training to staff at sea and on shore, which is more than just media training, said Dustin Eno, COO & Crisis Response Manager at Navigate Response. Find out more here.