This was for a COMM 8570 University of Nebraska at Omaha Masters Foundations of Mass Communications class in Spring 2015.

1. New Media in Crisis Communication:
A Comparison of Different Media
During the Oklahoma State
University Basketball Plane Crashes
Lauren Adams
M.A. student in Communications
University of Nebraska at Omaha
COMM 8570, Spring 2015
https://freelantzsports.wordpress.com/

2. Outline
• Purpose
• Crisis Communication
• Situation Crisis Communication Theory
• Best Practices of Crisis Communication
• Message Convergence
• Social Media
• Media Relations
• Media Dependency
• Case Study: Two OSU airplane crashes
• Research questions/methodology

3. Purpose
• Because every organization faces times of
crisis, it is important that organizations handle
these situations correctly
• Knowing the best strategies to use in crisis
management
• Social media’s role in crisis communication
• Role of media and organizations during crises
• OSU crisis communication plans for the
crashes

4. Crisis Communication
• “The purpose of crisis communication is to
prevent or lessen the negative outcomes of a
crisis and thereby protect the organization,
stakeholders, and industry from harm,” (Veil &
Ojeda, 2010, p. 414)

5. Situation Crisis Theory
• Past crises shape an organization
• Three types of crises:
– victim, accidental, preventable
• Reputation management vs. base crisis
communication
• Identification of publics: “hot-issue publics”
(Aldoory, 2012, p. 94)

6. Best Practices in Crisis Communication
• A specific communicator in charge of crisis
communication
• Proactive crisis communication plans
• Working with various publics
• Transparency, Honesty, Trust
• Relations with Media
• Call to Action

7. Message Convergence
• Actual message importance
• Informed public
• Message platform

8. Media Relations
• Back in 2000, many split-second decisions
were made in crises when dealing with media
• Previous tactics
– Listen to every question
– Explain the plan of action
– Prepare necessary background information
– Know common assumptions
– Be as proactive as possible
– Take action to minimize negative outcomes

9. Media Relations
• The Relationship between Public Relation
professionals and the Media
– Lack of trust
– Interdependency
– When partnered, beneficial to all
• Tactics of Media Relations
– Transparency, accuracy, accessibility, trust,
maintenance

10. Social Media
• “Social media have changed the nature of
everyday communications by providing a
platform for individuals and organizations
alike to engage with each other in a dynamic,
synchronized, and multidirectional dialogue
that represents varied voices,” (Reitz, 2012, p.
43).
• Need for social media today
• Mobility

11. Social Media & Crisis Communication
• Too many information sources
• Immediate information
• Perceived source credibility
• Monitoring and observing public
• Establish trust

12. Media Dependency
• “The more a person depends on having his or
her meeds met by media use, the more
important will be the role that media play in
the person’s life, and therefore the more
influence those media will have on that
person,” (Baran, 2006, p. 324).
• Relational not goal-oriented
• Media power

13. Case Study: Two OSU airplane crashes
• January 27, 2001- Remember the Ten
– No crisis plan was in place
– “Do what was right”
– “OSU administrators realized the importance of
grieving and giving mourners an outlet for their
pain, not only through the website, but also in
other ways,” (Wigley, 2003, p. 41).

14. Case Study: Two OSU airplane crashes
• November 18, 2011- Remember the Four
– Social media already established and thriving
– Instant updates via social media
– No research has been conducted on this event
thus far for more information about what was
done throughout the crisis plan for this incident.

15. Research Questions
• RQ1: What changed within the crisis communication strategies between the first
OSU and second OSU basketball plane crashes?
– RQ1a: How did the crisis communication strategies of the first basketball
plane crash prepare OSU for the second basketball plane crash?
– RQ1b: How proactive was OSU for the second basketball plane crash?
– RQ1c: What were the main goals of the crisis communication strategies for
the first plane crash?
– RQ1d: What were the main goals of the crisis communication strategies for
the second plane crash?
• RQ2: What crisis communication best practices did OSU use during these crises?
– RQ2a: What best practices were used during the first OSU plane crash?
– RQ2b: What best practices were used during the second OSU plane crash?
– RQ2c: How were the overlapping best practices used differently between the
two different crashes?
– RQ2d: What did OSU request of its various publics as a call of action during
the first plane crash?
– RQ2e: What did OSU request of its various publics as a call of action during
the second plane crash?

16. Research Questions Cont.
• RQ3: How did OSU utilize the media in both plane crashes?
– RQ3a: How did the university build media relations in the first plane crash?
– RQ3b: How did the university build media relations in the second plane
crash?
– RQ3c: How did social media impact the nature of crisis communication being
played out in the second plane crash?
– RQ3d: What did OSU use to communicate out to its publics before social
media during the first plane crash?

17. References
• Adams, W. C. (2000). Responding to the Media During a Crisis: It's What You Say and When You Say It. Public Relations Quarterly, 45(1), 26-28.
•
• Aldoory, L., & Grunig, J. E. (2012). The Rise and Fall of Hot-Issue Publics: Relationships that Develop From Media Coverage of Events and Crises. International Journal Of Strategic
Communication, 6(1), pp. 93-108.
•
• Anthony, K. E., Sellnow, T. L., & Millner, A. G. (2013). Message Convergence as a Message-centered Approach to Analyzing and Improving Risk Communication. Journal Of Applied
Communication Research, 41(4), 346-364.
•
• Baran, S.K., & Davis, D.K. (2006). Media and audiences: Theories about the role of media in everyday life. In D. Amidon-Brent, & S. Allen (Eds.), Mass Communication Theory: Foundations,
ferment, and future, 324-329.
•
• Coombs, W. T. (2004). Impact of Past Crises On Current Crisis Communication. Journal Of Business Communication, 41(3), 265-289.
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• Jackob, N.E. (2010). No Alternatives? The relationship between perceived media dependency, use of alternative information sources, and general trust in mass media. International
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• Kaul, V. (2013). PR and the Media: Friends or Foes?. Global Media Journal: Pakistan Edition, 6(1), 58-90.
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• Reitz, A. (2012). Social Media's Function in Organizations: A Functional Analysis Approach. Global Media Journal: Canadian Edition, 5(2), 41-56.
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• Ruggiero, T.E. (2000). Uses and gratifications theory in the 21st century. Mass Communication & Society, 3(1), 3-37.

18. References continued
• Seeger, M. W. (2006). Best Practices in Crisis Communication: An Expert Panel Process. Journal Of Applied Communication Research, 34(3), 232-244.
•
• Smith, E. and Gardiner, A. (2011). Oklahoma State women’s coach Kurt Budke, assistant die in plane crash. USA TODAY. Retrieved from
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/womensbasketball/story/2011-11-18/oklahoma-state-kurt-budke-killed-plane-crash/51294624/1
•
• Stehr, P., Rössler, P., Leissner, L., & Schönhardt, F. (2015). Parasocial Opinion Leadership Media Personalities' Influence within Parasocial Relations:
Theoretical Conceptualization and Preliminary Results. International Journal Of Communication (19328036), 9982-1001.
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• Sun, S., Rubin, A.M., & Haridakis, P.M. (2008). The role of motivation and media involvement in explaining Internet dependency. Journal Of
Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 52(3), 408-431.
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• Veil, S. R., & Ojeda, F. (2010). Establishing Media Partnerships in Crisis Response. Communication Studies, 61(4), 412-429.
•
• Waters, R. D. (2013). Tracing the Impact of Media Relations and Television Coverage on U.S. Charitable Relief Fundraising: An Application of Agenda-
Setting Theory across Three Natural Disasters. Journal Of Public Relations Research, 25(4), 329-346.
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• Wigley, S. (2003). Relationship Maintenance in a Time of Crisis: The 2001 Oklahoma State University Plane Crash. Public Relations Quarterly,48(2), pp.
39-42.