The Media Wants To Know. Are You Ready? The three most compelling questions that face managers in crisis are: What did you know? When did you know it? What are you going to do about it to ensure it never happens again? But these are just the first three questions...dozens, sometimes hundreds more questions will emanate from employees, victims, family members, contractors, vendors and customers, as well as shareholders, regarding what your organization did properly- and failed to do- to anticipate and respond to a critical incident. The news media has an obligation to ask tough questions. You can't hide and you cannot ignore them. In doing so, you risk losing credibility during the apex of controversy. A skilled, polished media plan requires advanced thinking, a thoughtful question and answer preparation, the deployment of skilled and trained spokespersons, and an overarching pledge to speak the truth- even when it hurts- in the midst of crisis. There are over 40 questions that tough reporters will ask in virtually every major crisis, whether the incident be related to a product recall, violence at work, industrial accident or case of fraud. Do you know what those questions are, and what the appropriate answer should be? Do you know how to reduce your organizational risk to litigation by pre-empting questions with the media? There are many consultants you can engage to help you frame your media plan. But their experience levels vary considerably. Understanding how the news media works, how news cycles unfold, how follow-up stories create a 'second tier' of inquiries- these are issues that your team must diligently consider. Knowing the right source to guide you through the art of crisis communication is job one.