Ono the Ostrich CRISIS MANAGER
The Internet Newsletter about Crisis Management 
 Editor: Erik Bernstein 
  Publisher: Jonathan Bernstein

"For Those Who Are Crisis Managers,
Whether They Want to be or Not"

ISSN:1528-3836
© 2012 Jonathan Bernstein

Hantavirus, Obama's AMA, & Crisis Management for Android


Volume XIII, Number 17

September 21, 2012   


JUST A THOUGHT    

 

To manage a crisis, you first have to to admit that there IS a crisis.

  

                           Erik Bernstein   

                                


FROM THE EDITOR  

 

For the U.S., 2012 may end up being known as "The Year the Government 'Got' the Web." From the Navy and Air Force working hard to perfect their social media policies, to the CDC's regular use of the 'net for disaster management and community education, and of course Obama's historic Reddit Q&A, the slow and stodgy persona that we often associate with government communication is being pushed to the wayside. 

 

In a similar vein, your social media accounts are probably already flooded with the modern equivalent of the old campaign yard signs, and it will be interesting to see what tricks the candidates have up their sleeves as we move closer to election day. You can bet that we'll be talking about it in a coming issue! And you can find a LOT of information about orgs that are supporting voter registration and voter rights by following @craignewmark on Twitter and/or checking out his craigconnects initiative (disclosure: Craig's a client of Jonathan Bernstein).

 

As always, below you'll find a summary of the best from both of our blogs.   

If you like what you see, please share it with others by using the "Forward Email" link at the bottom of the ezine and tell them to subscribe!  IMPORTANT NOTE: If you just "Forward" using your own email program's "Forward" function and your recipient thinks they're being spammed, they can click on the Opt Out link and opt YOU off the list. So use the "Forward Email" link, please. 

  


BCM

 

Thank you, and read on!

 

          - Erik

 

  

BLOGS!
By Erik Bernstein

Here's a look at some recent posts from both the Bernstein Crisis Management blog and our Crisis Management blog over at Carter McNamara's Free Management Library. We certainly didn't plan to feature three examples of solid communication from the government, but the stories kept popping up! There's also a new Crisis Show, info on how Google is preparing for Apple's patent protection, and a pair of guest articles that should help bury that nasty term, "Spin Doctor."

The Crisis Show Ep. 12 covered the shooting at a PQ Montreal Victory Rally, a workplace shooting in New Jersey, Progressive's double trouble, Hyundai recalls, the controversial Apple/FBI UDID leak, and then some! Come see what hosts Jonathan Bernstein, Rich Klein, and Melissa Agnes had to say!
Erik Bernstein
Erik Bernstein

While some states drop pesticides from planes, the CDC Combats West Nile with Web Content. Going with the proven theory that prevention is the best type of crisis management, the CDC has put together not one, but three different pages full of information on West Nile -- like how to stay safe while working outside and methods to protect against bites. Even adopting a blog-like tone for one of the pages, the only challenge the CDC faces is getting the public to actually click on their site.

Nobody likes to feel like they're having the wool pulled over their eyes. In this reprint from the Monday Morning Media Minute, Jerry Brown explains why you should just Skip the Spin when it comes to crisis communication.

Yosemite's Deadly Hantavirus Crisis has claimed three lives, so what's being done about it? Well, quite a bit actually. Taking lessons from its crisis partners at the CDC, the National Park Service has embraced its Internet presence for crisis management.

With one post, titled "I am Barack Obama, President of the United States - AMA," our President once again made history. No stranger to firsts, Obama gave himself a major reputation boost with the 'net set when he became the first President to host a Q&A session on popular social site Reddit.com.

The fears long held by scientists have come true, and we now must face deadly Superbugs - a Hospital-Bred Threat. When over-use of antibiotics creates bacteria resistant to anything known to man, what will medical care centers do to prevent patients and employees from being placed in serious danger?  

Guest author Tony Jaques offers up a case study that further proves the accuracy of Jerry Brown's advice to "Skip the Spin." Thalidomide: a 50-Year Crisis examines the case of a German drug maker who kept mum for over 50 years after its medications caused children to literally be born without limbs, then decided to let the lawyers spin the apology.  

Google's not slacking when it comes to Crisis Management for Android in OS Wars. As the dust settles from Apple's $1 billion victory over Samsung, speculations arose that Google's Android might be the next target. Although Android and Apple's iOS are discernibly different, the big G left nothing to chance, and moved quickly to sway the court of public opinion.

Erik Bernstein is a freelance writer, editor of Crisis Manager, and Social Media Manager for Bernstein Crisis Management
APROPOS OF NOTHING

 

MissionMode Launches New Blog

 

Our friends over at MissionMode have recently launched a new blog that's full of information on crisis management and business continuity, along with insight on current events and breaking news. Take a look! 

 

The Bernsteins Available to Deliver Free Guest Lectures

 

Jonathan alone, or the team of Jonathan and Erik Bernstein, are available at no charge to deliver guest lectures to college classes via Skype or Google Hangout. All you need at your end is a single computer with webcam and a strong broadband connection.  Contact us for more info!

 

Attention Corporate Boards of Directors (and those who serve them). 

 

If you're connected with a corporate board of directors in some way and think that board would benefit from having a veteran crisis management pro amongst its membership, please contact me. -- Jonathan

 


BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS
(aka blatant self-promotion) 

 

Want to Get Referrals from Bernstein Crisis Management?

 

Jonathan Bernstein here.  I am OFTEN in a position where I need to refer business to contractors, as I have had a virtual business model for almost 20 years.  Write to me if you want to get into the Bernstein Crisis Management Database.  

 

 

NEW PRICING FOR
Keeping the Wolves at Bay: Media Training
 

 

Book Cover JPG

Reflecting a significant change in the book-selling marketplace, we have reduced the cost of this popular media training manual from $49 to $25 for the hard copy and from $29.95 to $10 for the PDF.

 

Visit The Crisis Manager Bookstore for more information and/or to purchase.

 

 

  

 

Manager's Guide to Crisis Management

MgrsGuideCover

 

Whether you're a seasoned manager, aspiring up-and-comer, or student of crisis management, Jonathan Bernstein's textbook, Manager's Guide to Crisis Management (McGraw-Hill, 2011) will put you in control of any situation. 

 

 

 

 

 

Want To Blog And Tweet About

Your Organization But Don't Have Time? 


Missing out on all the promotional and SEO advantages of doing so? Hire someone to be your voice...like Erik Bernstein, editor of Crisis Manager.

 

More info:erik@bernsteincrisismanagement.com.

 


GUEST AUTHORS

Guest authors are very welcome to submit material for "Crisis Manager." There is no fee paid, but most guest authors have reported receiving business inquiries as a result of appearing in this publication. Case histories, experience-based lessons, commentary on current news events and editorial opinion are all eligible for consideration. Submission is not a guarantee of acceptance.

 


ABOUT THE PUBLISHER AND EDITOR


JB NewErik Bernstein

Jonathan Bernstein is both publisher of Crisis Manager and president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc., a national crisis management public relations agency providing 24/7 access to crisis response professionals. The agency engages in the full spectrum of crisis management services: crisis prevention, response, planning & training. He has been in the public relations field since 1982, following five-year stints in both military intelligence and investigative reporting.

Write to Jonathan at: jonathan@bernsteincrisismanagement.com.

Erik Bernstein is editor of Crisis Manager and is also Social Media Manager for Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc.

Write to Erik at: erik@bernsteincrisismanagement.com.

 


LEGAL DISCLAIMER

All information contained herein is obtained by Jonathan Bernstein from sources believed by Jonathan Bernstein to be accurate and reliable.

Because of the possibility of human and mechanical error as well as other factors, neither Jonathan Bernstein nor Bernstein Crisis Management is responsible for any errors or omissions. All information is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Bernstein Crisis Management and Jonathan Bernstein make no representations and disclaim all express, implied, and statutory warranties of any kind to the user and/or any third party including, without limitation, warranties as to accuracy, timeliness, completeness, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose.


Unless due to willful tortuous misconduct or gross negligence, Jonathan Bernstein and Bernstein Crisis Management shall have no liability in tort, contract, or otherwise (and as permitted by law, product liability), to the user and/or any third party.


Under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of the possibility of such damages.


A service of this newsletter is to provide news summaries and/or snippets to readers. In such instances articles and/or snippets will be reprinted as they are received from the originating party or as they are displayed on the originating website or in the original article. As we do not write the news, we merely point readers to it, under no circumstance shall Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein be liable to the user and/or any third party for any lost profits or lost opportunity, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, or punitive damages whatsoever due to the distribution of said news articles or snippets that lead readers to a full article on a news service's website, even if Bernstein Crisis Management or Jonathan Bernstein has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Authors of the original news story and their publications shall be exclusively held liable. Any corrections to news stories are not mandatory and shall be printed at the discretion of the list moderator after evaluation on a case-by-case basis.


In This Issue
Just A Thought
Blogs!
Apropos of Nothing
Quick Links
Contact

SUBSCRIBE TO EZINE

BCM Blog
Crisis Management Blog

Facebook ButtonLinkedIn ButtonGoogle  Button