Media Control and Michael Brown

This is a really sensitive subject for me as a black woman in the public relations world. Regardless of what you think happened to Michael Brown in Ferguson, the center issue at hand is his death is very tragic. I’ve spent the weekend watch CNN and monitoring the related hashtags on social media.  The main stream media isn’t translating the images and thoughts from social media onto their networks.

As a publicist, this tactic infuriates me but I understand it at the same time. The main stream media has to think about their shareholders, their advertisers, liability issues, and the danger of being charged with inciting a riot using the power of the press. So, they are very careful as to who they are interviewing and as to what images they are showing.

Social media, on the other hand, doesn’t have to worry about liability issues or advertisers. Posts are unedited, raw, and opinionated. These types of posts also offer a real perspective as to what people are seeing, feeling, and planning.

Since the audiences for these two types of media are very different, the emotions of the people are very different too! There is no consistent messages going out right now. The corporate communication people for the police department seem to be missing in action. The protesters aren’t aware of how to handle the media so mistakes are being made. The national media is scared to reflect what social media is showing.  Interviews with random sources are being allowed on air without being vetted. And as this media frenzy builds without any crisis communications plan, Michael Brown’s funeral is being planned.

I can only hope that reporters show both sides of the story in a respectful way. I can only hope that people giving interviews tell the truth- whatever it may be. I can only hope that when this boy’s funeral happens, the media handles it with integrity.

Saddened,
Coco the CEO