"I can't believe how uncaring the airline is."

Sunday's New York Post reports that "a Brooklyn man who went berserk aboard a JFK-bound airliner died Friday night after being handcuffed and held down by seven athletes who had come to the aid of the flight crew." I'm sure that more details will come out in the coming days and weeks. But it initially appears, in a post-9/11 world, that the actions of the crew and passengers were appropriate or--at the very least--understandable, particularly in light of the fact that this airline had two of its aircraft hijacked on September 11.

To the airline's further credit, the spokesman provided the reporter with a reasonably thorough account of what happened on the aircraft. Unfortunately, the family of the deceased man says that the airline has not communicated at all with them--they have not tried to call the family, and the family's calls to the airline were not returned. The result is a devastating sound bite from the family that negates all previous quotes from the airline spokesman: "I can't believe how uncaring the airline is. Nobody will talk us," said the deceased man's sister. Communicating directly with reporters is frequently not enough.

Building the Blog

I've taken my first crack at editing the template by replacing two of the default links (right) with two of my own. The first is a link to the Public Relations Society of America, one of the professional groups to which I belong. The second link is to NewsLink, an excellent online directory of media outlets nationwide and around the world. While it is not as detailed as some media directories (such as Bacon's) which drill down to the level of individual reporters and their contact info, NewsLink is an excellent way to find media outlets by type or location.

Introduction

The title and description above give you a sense of the "what" and the "why." This introductory post will give you a little info about the "who." I'm a 19-year veteran of PR, media relations, and crisis communications. I have worked for a variety of organizations, from nonprofits to government agencies to trade associations in a number of disciplines: environmental, human services, disaster relief, criminal justice, labor/workforce development, and health care. My experiences have included floods, hurricanes, workforce/labor disputes, prison escapes, and scheduled executions. I've done hundreds of interviews on TV and radio and in print, including CNN and CBS This Morning. Because I am currently employed full-time, I'm not yet in a position to identify myself to you here--this is my first blog, so your patience is appreciated as I work through this.

To expand a little bit on the "what": Through this blog, I will link to news stories that demonstrate effective and less-than-effective responses to media inquiries, again with the hope that readers will form a deeper appreciation for the need to engage with the media--particularly at times when the strongest impulse is to flee.

I welcome your comments and tips.