[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Working with the media

Working with the media

This chapter concerns co-operation with the media at the scene of an emergency.

It includes information on:

the role of the News Co-ordination Centre;
warning and informing the public
the challenges of working with the media
co-ordinating media liaison
working effectively with the media in emergencies;
media arrangements at the scene of an emergency;
specific issues for consideration, including the release of casualty figures, interviews with survivors, remote access and VIP visits
media debriefs

Media interest, can create pressure 24 hours a day. Careful planning of staggered handovers between shifts is essential.

Case studies from recent emergencies are included in section 8.10.

You should refer to:

Emergency Preparedness, Chapter 7 - "Communicating with the public" [PDF, 16 pages, 84KB] (pp93-108)
- Annex 7A: "Communicating with the public: the national context " [PDF, 2 pages, 22KB]
- Annex 7B: "Lead responsibility for warning and informing the public" [PDF, 2 pages, 27KB]
- Annex 7C: "Checklist of suggested protocols " [PDF, 1 page, 14KB]
Media Emergency Forums & RMEFs Annual Report 2004-2005 [PDF, 17 pages, 659KB]
The BBC's Connecting in a Crisis guide [External website] - An initiative designed to ensure that their own local radio station producers have established appropriate contacts with emergency planners, the police and other key organisations in their localities.

The Emergency Planning College (EPC) is the leading provider of training for emergency preparedness, attracting delegates with responsibility for preventing, planning for, responding to or recovering from a major incident. The EPC runs these courses on the care of people as well as other aspects of civil protection: