Chapter 10 Determine the appropriate methods

In Lundgren and McMakin (2004), the basic categories of methods of communication include information materials, visual representation of risk, face-to-face communication, working with the media, stakeholder participation, and technology-assisted communication. Needless to say, many possible communication methods would be used for the communication activity effectively.
Information materials are useful for providing general information in ordinary times. Examples are newsletters, fact sheets, brochures, booklets, pamphlets, displays, advertisements, posters, trade journal articles, popular press articles, and technical reports. However, to make those information materials effective would be very significant duty for public relations managers. I honestly often regard some information materials as paper waste and time wasting. Not to produce useless information materials, carefully planned efforts and professionals’ advice are inevitable. I don’t think public relations professionals should be the professional in design. However, I believe they should have sufficient insight to choose, decide, and produce the most practical information materials for their audiences.
Visual representation of risk includes posters, displays, direct advertising, videotapes, and television, and has the advantage of memorable (Lundgren & McMakin, 2004, p. 159). Lundgren and McMakin (2004) suggest that to raise awareness, pictorial representations are the best choice, and to inform the audience, visual representations cannot be the only choice of method.
The advantage of face-to-face communication is “having an identifiable human representative of the organization or another credible person presenting the risk information, personalizing the risk information” (Lundgren & McMakin, 2004, p. 161). They also suggest that to get immediate feedback and to target specific groups, face-to-face communication can be the best communication method, though, for a particularly angry audience, face-to-face many not be sufficient. Nonetheless, I believe that to deal with angry audience, face-to-face communication method would be the only possible way to relieve their anger. Definitely it would not be easy to deal with angry and emotionally attacked audience with face-to-face communication because we can expect their violence and harsh words. Yet, I cannot imagine the situation to deal 9/11 victims’ family members without face-to-face communication method from New York city’s crisis management team. In this sense, I cannot agree to Lundgren and McMakin’s (2004) suggestions that face-to-face communication may not be satisfactory for angry audience. I’m not sure if I misunderstood their arguments.
Using media in crisis communication is significantly effective considering its wide reach and powerful impact. However, a key disadvantage of mass media is mentioned as media source’s controlling content and timing the story (Lundgren & McMakin, 2004). Because of this media’s gatekeeper role, public relations professionals’ role for media relations is significant.
Stakeholder participation includes advisory committees, facilitated deliberation, alternative dispute resolution, focus groups, community-operated environmental monitoring, and formal hearings (Lundgren & McMakin, 2004, p. 165). Stake holder participation is usually a long-term proposition and needs audiences’ interaction. In this sense, it can be understood as Grunig’s two-way symmetrical public relations model.
Technology-assisted communication has the advantage of being able to disseminate an incredible amount of information effectively.