Last week, I attended the PR Week’s Crisis Communications Summit, and the experience was hugely valuable. It reinforced to me the fact that companies would benefit significantly from many of the skills that we teach at PA Media Academy. The insightful sessions highlighted the value of the training we offer in areas such as media law, strategic planning for a crisis, and helping companies to review their crisis comms protocols.
One of the topics discussed was Artificial Intelligence and its impact on the media. It is no coincidence that I recently saw a job advert online whereby Newsquest Media Group was seeking an ‘AI-assisted reporter’ to help it expand its use of AI technology across some of its newsrooms. I have been in journalism for a good number of years, and this shows that there is a shift towards hiring young men and women with these skills, and it will be very interesting to see how the landscape develops.
Coupled with this is the fact that I recently led a training programme in which PA Media Academy, in partnership with Google, delivered verification training to journalists across the UK in the run-up to the General Election. This training was very well received by some 400 journalists from organisations such as ‘Reach’ and Newsquest’ and we’ll be offering similar training courses after the election to help the industry cope with the challenges ‘fake news’ brings
Key takeaways from the conference:
- Diverse crisis management strategies – Every session at the conference offered something different. For example, we learned how Luton Airport handled a crisis when fire destroyed one of their car parks. Their proactive communication and quick action were key in managing the situation and mitigating negative impacts.
- Turning negatives into positives – Premiership Rugby’s Jonny Fordham shared his experiences on how to turn negatives into positives. His approach to leveraging adverse situations and transforming them into opportunities for positive engagement was particularly enlightening.
- Misinformation and Disinformation in the age of AI – PA Media’s Wesley Johnson spoke about misinformation and disinformation in the age of AI. This session underscored the importance of accurate information and the role of AI in both creating and combating false narratives. AI is already playing a significant role in our working lives and this will only continue to grow.
Explore our professional short courses
Check out all our professional short courses at PA Media Academy. We offer a range of training that can help your company prepare for and manage crises effectively. From strategic planning to media law, our courses are designed to provide you with the skills and knowledge you need.
If you would like help in any of the areas in which we specialise, please feel free to reach out to me. The value of proactive crisis management cannot be overstated, and with the right training, you can ensure your company is prepared for any situation.
Stay ahead in the dynamic world of media and communications with PA Media Academy.
