Paying for Silence in Times of Crisis

In the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, many state entities have rewritten their crisis communication strategies.  Unlike the federal government, which cannot be sued by federal employees, organizations must invest in hefty insurance policies and awareness programs.

In a recent Al Jazeera interview, crisis communication expert and acclaimed sports lawyer, Dominic Romano, offered a few key takeaways for organizations to focus on:

1)      Monitor any issues very carefully

2)      Take allegations seriously

3)      Immediately implement policies

In the case of Jerry Sandusky, the failure to act was a contributing factor to the size of the settlement for all of the victims. The continued cost of public relations and awareness, combined with settlement money and legal fees may bring the insurance and taxpayer cost to close to 100 million dollars. There are serious consequences for these transgressions and somebody has to pay if allegations aren’t taken seriously.

You can learn more about crisis communication strategies during Critical Mention’s Webinar.

Insight provided by Critical Mention’s media monitoring service