ABSTRACT
Tim Conner, president of The Conner Group, a crisis management consulting firm, exhorts organizations facing a crisis to “pay attention to the needs” of the media because “they grind the lens through which society views and judges your company” (English, 1992, p. 12). Much of the communication research focused on organizational crisis supports Conner’s practical wisdom. Communication research argues consistently that an early and candid public response to a crisis by the afflicted organization’s leadership can minimize the potential damage to the organization’s credibility (Marconi, 1992; Schuetz, 1990; Seeger, 1985; Sellnow & Seeger, 1993; Williams & Treadaway, 1992). Yet, the threat, surprise, and urgency surrounding crisis situations often prohibit the identification and communication of such precise and accurate messages (Fink, 1986; Hermann, 1972; Seeger, 1986; Sellnow 1994; Sellnow & Ulmer, 1995; Weick, 1988). Consequently, organizations often appear ambiguous or vague in their crisis communication.
