PBS Mediashift: Chain of Corporate Comm. Can’t Keep Up With…Vast Non-Linear Web of Information

PBS Mediashift blogger Mark Hannah makes a point regarding the news coverage and information distribution around US Airways Flight 1549′s crash water landing and how it marks another significant turning point for communications professionals.

He writes, “The chain of corporate communications simply can’t keep up with this vast non-linear web of information, so it’s no surprise that media strategists often find themselves in the frustrating position of being alerted to a crisis from precisely the media they’re supposed to be informing about it.”

While obviously Twitter and other social media sources can get information out faster than the US Airways communications team, we disagree with Harrah on this point: “Instead of idly waiting for a PR person to develop talking points, the good journalist will abide by her congenital need for speed, and source any information she can unearth among user-generated content…and ask the company official to merely fill in the blanks later.”

While that may be true, our question back to Harrah is, what journalist idly waits for a PR person to develop talking points after a tragic, but miraculous event like the US Airways water landing?

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