Case Studies

Challenge

This agency dispatches teams to investigate serious incidents and accidents. When they arrive, there is usually a swarm of media demanding immediate comment. While there isn’t much information to share at that time, the agency representatives usually need to speak with reporters to establish their presence as well as commitment to transparency.  They are limited in what they can divulge and want to avoid a press briefing consisting of “no comment” answers.

Solution

CommCore customized a crisis media training program to conform to the agency’s media protocols using a series of client-approved incident scenarios.  The training and on-camera practice sessions were designed to make the investigator-spokespersons more “media ready” —  to handle everything from the initial press ambush interviews to planned briefings on the final results 12-18 months later.

Results

The investigators learned the specific strategies and skills that enabled them to be more confident and better able to communicate important messages during the course of an investigation. One program participant, who had limited media exposure, was the thrust into the national spotlight and became the lead spokesperson in a network TV press conference. The video of that exchange is used as a best practice training tool on to how to respond in a media ambush.

CommCore Provided:

• Crisis Response Training
• Media Training