Communicating Foreign Crises; Panel Debates Best Approach

Low budgets and lack of trained staff in foreign countries often hamper the public relations efforts of international humanitarian organizations trying to attract media attention for serious political, social and economic problems. A three-person panel recently discussed ways and means of conducting effective public relations campaigns in the international arena, not only to focus media attention on crisis situations but also to lay the groundwork for aid in combating problems such as poverty, disease, famine, war and natural disasters around the world. They spoke at a workshop during the PRSA National Conference. Television coverage of disaster or crisis situations is probably most sought-after by philanthropic organizations and others, such as government or political groups which have a vested interest in the outcomes. One way to reach major media is through video news releases (VNRs), noted panel moderator Nana L. Booker, APR, president, Booker/Hancock Public Relations, Houston. Co-chair of PRSA's International Section with Larry Pintak, president, Pintak Communications International, Washington, DC, Booker showed a VNR on Armenia prepared by Pintak in January 1993. The VNR documented Armenia slipping into the Third World because people were dying of hunger, exposure and lack of basic services, such as heat and electricity. Major networks and CNN used the VNR, Booker noted. In all, it reached 26 million viewers and achieved the sponsor Armenia's objective of ending the Turkish blockade of the country. Private voluntary organizations (PVOs) like Worldvision, which operates in 94 countries, are involved in relief and development. They have to communicate the need and credibility of their causes, especially in primary fundraising markets, such as the United States, said Jerry Levin, director of news and information services, Worldvision, based in Monrovia, CA. "We don't go after credibility in a systematic way," Levin admitted, noting that Worldvision has not used VNRs. "We do use B-roll and personal contact." During the first 90 days of a crisis, there is a "closing window" to get the story out through "station people," who work for the organization "on the ground, in various parts of the world," he explained. "Publicity can be the pump primer of general interest |in our cause~," Levin added. "But we don't have enough communicators in the field--people who are experts in media relations. We have to link the press with the need or crisis. Since we raise 48% of our revenue in the United States, we have to have people on the ground with experience with the American press." "Getting images on television doesn't necessarily mean getting people to act on information," said Barbara Burns, APR, managing director, Consultants in Public Relations, S.A., New York City. "Public relations is designed to persuade people to action. That's what the Armenia VNR did. Images can be manipulated The media changes how news is conveyed and perceived, Burns added. When Israel attempted to close its borders to TV cameras several years ago, Palestinians ended up sending out unedited videotape taken with hand-held cameras, she noted. …