Essay Assignment
You are the CEO of a major corporation whose databases were recently hacked, and sensitive customer information was stolen. The media has persistently asked you for some kind of statement regarding the situation and what the corporation is doing to protect its customers and prevent this from happening again. Would you, as the CEO, speak out about the crisis, or would you choose a frontline spokesperson to represent the corporation? Explain your choice.
Address the following questions (even if you choose yourself as CEO to make the statements):
- Begin your essay assignment with an introduction for the reader about the crisis and how best to handle the situation.
- Formulate your crisis message using the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) model.
- What are the essential elements of an effective spokesperson in a crisis?
- What criteria are considered in selecting that particular person?
- Why do you think it would be important to have a well-trained spokesperson speak for the corporation during a crisis such as this one?
- Why might the media wish to speak with frontline employees during a crisis?
- How would you, as CEO, correct erroneous information given out by the spokesperson?
Research sources to support your ideas. Your essay should be a minimum of two-pages in APA format. You must include a minimum of two sources, at least one source from the CSU Online Library.
1 Paragraph Discussion question no references required
Do you agree or disagree that CEOs should be spokespeople in a crisis rather than someone else? Why, or why not? In what situations should they be the spokespeople?
3 page essay
Simulated News Conference
Imagine yourself in the role of city manager, CEO, or spokesperson during a crisis situation. Write a simulated news conference essay that includes the following components:
- an introduction and description of your crisis, including the stage of the crisis at which the press conference is taking place;
- a description of what type of relationship you would want to have with certain types of media at this point and what you could do to establish that relationship;
- a summary of how you will conduct a press conference, including what types of media will attend, who will manage the start and finish of the conference, and who will be the designated spokesperson; and
- three trick questions that the reporters may ask in this particular situation; provide your planned answers to these trick questions.
Research sources to support your ideas. Your essay should be a minimum of three-pages in APA format. You must include a minimum of two sources, at least one source from the CSU Online Library.
1 Paragraph Discussion question no references required
Compare and contrast the rules of engagement for television, radio, print, and face-to-face interviews. Describe an example you have witnessed when an organization/spokesperson managed one of these media channels well during a crisis. Or you can choose to provide an example when the organization/spokesperson did not manage the relationship with the media well during a crisis. What were the consequences in your example?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also Include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.