Joanna Brody, M.A.’s Post

Behind-the-scenes moments you don't see! Reporting in floodwaters was challenging. Walking into the water for this report was nerve-wracking, but I did it for credibility. Even with boots on, I got soaked up to my thighs. These are the lengths we go to for accurate news coverage. What do you think? #Journalism #FieldReporting #BehindTheScenes #NewsReport

A month ago today, I helped coordinate coverage of one of the most significant stories in my career as a journalist: the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in baltimore. As a morning assignment editor, some nights pass uneventfully, while others erupt into chaos. This night fell into the latter category. Before I even set foot in the newsroom, I got a sudden notification: a cargo ship had plowed into the bridge, causing it to collapse. Adrenaline surged through me, and without a moment to spare, I rallied the team to strategize our next move. The way we handled this massive breaking news reminded me of a PR crisis management. Here’s what we did: Assessing the Situation: We swiftly gathered all available information, piecing together what little was known. Armed with these details, we started a thread accessible for all newsroom staff to access and input their own updates. Establishing a Response Team: It was an all-hands-on-deck scenario involving reporters, producers, news directors, our digital team, photographers, and assignment editors. My role involved dispatching crews and gathering all available information while our teams hit the ground. That day, I also took on the role of strategizing our coverage  while learned more about the collapse. Defining our purpose: We crafted a concise message that captured the essence of the breaking news, aiming to inform, inspire and impact our audience with clarity and purpose. Choosing Communication Channels: Broadcasting was our primary medium, but we were ready with web stories, push alerts, and social media posts across multiple platforms. We even utilized emails and online media to disseminate information effectively. Crafting the Response: Strategically dividing our coverage, we ensured a balance between the nuts and bolts of the incident and capturing local emotional reactions. With such a monumental event, there were myriad angles to explore, keeping our coverage dynamic and informative. Monitoring Social Media: Constant vigilance on social platforms kept us aware of new updates and developments, guiding our field crews and station personnel. Monitoring and Adjusting: Throughout the day, we remained agile, fine-tuning our approach as the story evolved. While the initial frenzy of breaking news subsided, our coverage remained fresh and relevant, adapting to unfolding events. In the aftermath, our coverage on wusa9.com has been a success. As we approach the one-month mark since the tragedy, stories of rescue efforts, cleanup endeavors, lawsuits, and port reopenings continue to unfold. This news remains pertinent, and we will keep our audience informed every step of the way. Undoubtedly, it was one of the most action-packed days of my career, and a testament to the resilience and dedication of our news team. It further demonstrated that journalism is better when everyone works together. #FrancisScottKeyBridge #journalism #breakingnews #crisismanagement #pr #baltimore #news #dc

Being a news reporter means constantly exposing oneself to difficult and sometimes gruesome stories. It's not easy, but my commitment to keeping my community informed outweighs any personal discomfort. I push through my emotions and focus on the importance of delivering accurate news. #NewsReporter #CommunityFirst #respectmyblueprint #blueprintmovement #CommitmentToInform #PushingThroughEmotions

Want to know some of the TOP QUESTIONS ASKED BY THE MEDIA during times of disaster? Get your FREE Media FAQ Checklist at Disaster Initiatives and scroll to the bottom of the page! Don’t get caught unprepared during your next press conference. Click the link to get your Free Media FAQ Checklist today! Check it out at https://lnkd.in/gPMph3r2 #publicinformation #publicrelations #crisiscommunications #spokesperson #mediarelations #externalrelations #disasterinitiatives

Want to learn more about how local journalists can provide community-centered information during disasters? Especially in rural places, local news outlets play an essential role in emergency response — join María Arce and I at this August Radically Rural™ workshop to learn more and share strategies: 

Last night my region had its heaviest rain in 26 years. Thousands of people are affected, including neighbours who've had homes and cars flooded. I am monitoring two sources of "news": 1) Two independent journalism outlets: a) a newspaper I pay a subscription to b) the regional bureau of our national public broadcaster. 2) Local Facebook and WhatsApp groups. What I get from (1): Damage reports to roads, homes, railway stations. What I get from (2): news about who needs help, what needs doing right now, how people are helping each other out, and how I can get involved. We in journalism often define news as (1), but it's also (2). And the fact that (2) exists at all means I notice its absence from (1). And the fact that it's on social media means people in my area are getting some of their trustworthy 'news' from Facebook that they aren't getting from my radio station or newspaper. Of course, none of the Group members are journalists. But the community knows which members are trustworthy - and it's not in those members' interest to post unreliable content. So if Pat says the shops are flooded, and asks for help, they're definitely flooded, and she definitely needs help. If Jen says there's plastic waste and debris all over the beach, the beach is definitely a mess and we'd better head on down to help. It also makes us feel like we're part of a community whose members value and care about each other. I've only lived here a couple years but these social spaces make me feel like I've lived here a lot longer, and that where I live is full of good people. When we talk about "news avoidance", we need to think about how we define 'news', and how that fits into definitions of information that our communities want and need. They don't avoid it - they actively seek it out. And in my view we should provide that information, because its absence is visible. Even a link to local social media groups on an outlet's home page, with a caveat that it's a separate entity so content can't be vouched for, is worth considering.

Want to know some of the TOP QUESTIONS ASKED BY THE MEDIA during times of disaster? Get your FREE Media FAQ Checklist at Disaster Initiatives and scroll to the bottom of the page! Don’t get caught unprepared during your next press conference. Click the link to get your Free Media FAQ Checklist today! Check it out at https://lnkd.in/eJD8M_3 #publicinformation #publicrelations #crisiscommunications #spokesperson #mediarelations #externalrelations #disasterinitiatives

Reposting for reach and my journalist friends! #journalism #broadcastmedia #reporters #newsmedia #multiplatformjournalism #news #tvnews #radionews #broadcastnews

Loved seeing this piece from Kelly McBride. News avoidance is a crucial problem for media organizations, and — as this report shows — getting information to people in a way that’s quick, easy, and accessible is important to bringing them back into the news ecosystem. A few things that stuck out to me: 💁The majority of news avoiders heard about the shooting from friends and family. I’ve found that more and more people are relying on these trusted relationships to help them understand complicated news. This says a lot about how people want to engage with people — not with organizations or products. 📱Push alerts and social media were the second and third most popular ways of discovery. Having the digital reach to meet where people they’re at is going to continue to re-engage news avoiders. We have to make sure the content going through these channels is easy to digest (particularly for breaking political news!). 💻 One-third of people immediately opened a browser to search for more information. This is why SEO is so incredibly important for discoverability! By not optimizing pages, we’re not only doing ourselves a disservice, but also audiences who are looking for reliable, authoritative sources to help them understand complex topics. Give the full article a read if you can!

#PublicRelations Tip: It takes more than newswires and relationships. Newswires serve a need, but they're far less effective in generating interest than they were just a few years ago. EIN is one of the smaller services, and they distributed more than 150,000 nationally. Factor in the major newswires, and that is a lot of flooded inboxes. #earnedmedia #PRchat