Do Public Officials Need to Be Reminded of Their Duties Towards the Media?

Sometimes things happen in life that are so terrible, adding a little PR spin is perhaps the worst thing a PR pro can do. In situations like this, the best thing anyone can do is admit that there are significant problems and be seen to rectify them.

The Grenfell Tower tragedy is just one example where the best possible PR response is no glossy PR response. People want answers, people want reassurance and people want action – the quicker the better.

These raw, unfiltered responses might go against every grain in a PR pro’s judgement, but when people are as damaged, as angry and as scared as they are in Kensington and Chelsea (and many other tower blocks around the UK), authenticity and sincerity are the only possible responses.

Yes, in the days, weeks, months and years ahead, not everything will go to plan – but nothing will reflect worse on the reputations of the public officials and private companies associated with Grenfell Tower than sweeping certain items under the carpet.

So the news that councillors tried to ban journalists from attending their first cabinet meeting following the fire is particularly worrying.

The fact that, after the courts intervened on behalf of journalists and reminded councillors that they couldn’t bar the press, the meeting was adjourned, was even more scandalous. It shows a complete contempt for the people, the media and the law of the land.

It’s clear that many councillors are completely out of their depth with the response to this tragedy and to be fair, who wouldn’t be? But running and hiding isn’t an option.

Local authorities and other public bodies have come under a lot of scrutiny recently for the way they treat the press. From breaching guidelines and publishing their own “propaganda” in direct completion to the local press, to not giving proper access to the media and restricting much needed advertising revenues (for public notices) from newspapers who don’t “tow the line”.

Is it time to remind public officials that their role is (as the name suggests) public and their duties must be carried out under the full glare of the media if the general public are to regain any trust in them in the future? As a PR pro, how would you advise public officials to operate in a more transparent way? Share your comments below.