Best practice communication was critical to allaying fear in the immediate response to the Westminster attacks but sensationalist media coverage must be challenged. There was a terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge and the Palace of Westminster in London yesterday. Five people, including a police office, are dead, and 40 people are injured. In this deck I've looked at the response from London's Mayor, the police, journalists, media, the government, the public, and others. It is intended for a lecture to public relations students at Newcastle University. The deck tells the story of how crisis situations have unfolded in media over the last 40 years, as media has changed. I've included user generated comment from social networks including some examples of hate and propaganda that you may find disturbing. Thank you to the emergency services, NHS staff and all the professional communicators involved in the incident response.

1. 1 | 26.03.20171 | 26.03.2017
Modern crisis
communications
Response to Westminster attacks
Stephen Waddington
Visiting Professor, Newcastle University
wadds.co.uk @wadds

2. 2 | 26.03.20172 | 26.03.2017
Source: The Guardian / Victoria Jones, Press Association

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Today’s session
• Media response to crises over the last 40
years
• How the Westminster attack played out in the
first 12 hours
• Summary of response

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1980 – daily news

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1990 – 24 hour news

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2010 – real time news

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2017 – user generated news
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqLxBXLliEY

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Christopher Hope, The Daily Telegraph (14.43)

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Peter Yeung, The Times (14.43)

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Jason Groves, Daily Mail (14.43)

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Live blog, The Guardian (14.43)
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2017/mar/22/peers-say-brexit-with-no-trade-deal-would-cause-signicicant-damage-to-service-sector-politics-live

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Personal networks (14.51)

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Evan Davies, BBC (15.00)
Source: https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/844654793629089792

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Police statement (15.30)

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Request for images (15.41)

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Public appeal for UGC (15.41)

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Call for restraint and respect (15.45)

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London Ambulance Service statement (15.52)

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Clickbait and search bait (15.52)

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BBC footage (16.18)
Source: https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/844614278548275204

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Selfies (16.34)

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Statement from the Mayor (16.31)

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Facebook Safety (16.42)

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Facebook Safety (16.42)

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UGC sympathy (16.52)
Source: https://twitter.com/SuhaibSaqib1/status/844592696262098945

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Statement from Muslim Council of Great Britain (17.11)

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Statement from Police (17.58)
Source: https://www.periscope.tv/metpoliceuk/1mrxmenrynvxy?t=3

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UGC sympathy (18.13)

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Hate (20.19)

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Hate (20.27)

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RIP (18.57)

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Response from the Mayor (19.33)
Source: https://twitter.com/SadiqKhan/status/844633197191335936/video/1

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BBC News (20.31)
Source: https://twitter.com/BBCNews/status/844647725048066048

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Statement from the Prime Minister (21.04)
Source: https://twitter.com/BBCBreaking/status/844655940905271296

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Tribute to emergency services from MPs (22.05)

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London Ambulance Service (22.17)

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Tribute to Constable Keith Palmer (22.31)

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Front pages of nationals (05:00)

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Infographic, New York Times (07:26)
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/22/world/europe/westminster-bridge-london-attack-map.html

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Crisis management response to Westminster attacks
• Planned approach leading to coordinated
and integrated response by agencies
• Timing: there is no deadline just now
• Conversation led via #Westminster hashtag:
balance; reassurance; and inaccuracies
countered
• Facebook provided platform to signal
personal safety to networks

41. 41 | 26.03.2017
Crisis management response to Westminster attacks
• Response led by designated sources;
signposted from other platforms
• But media response sensationalist despite
measured communication approach
• Call to action: what is being done and what
people should do

42. 42 | 26.03.201742 | 26.03.2017
Modern crisis
communications
Response to Westminster attacks
Stephen Waddington
Visiting Professor, Newcastle University
wadds.co.uk @wadds