How to deal with false information in the media

When a public relations team is confronted with a media untruth about them or a client, action is often wise. If left unchecked, misstatements can cause serious damage to a brand, individual or company’s image.

Unfortunately, this is an all-too-common scenario. Some journalists value being first over being accurate in today’s web-driven, 24-hour-broadcasting news environment. Reporters are being driven to do more with less, to produce articles and TV reports faster than ever before, and often to prioritize clicks and views over solid fact-checking. Social media, meanwhile, is often a law unto itself.

In this digital age, misinformation travels around the world in seconds. It is critical to respond quickly and efficiently to such situations in order to avoid a potentially disastrous situation. So what should you do if a news website, TV broadcast or social media post gets its facts wrong, or misrepresents the truth?

Articulate and Engage

For newspaper or TV reports, the first step is to contact the journalist and request a correction. A good professional may welcome the opportunity. The key is to stay focused on the facts. Explain clearly why what they wrote or broadcast was wrong and provide supporting evidence. Don’t be tempted to debate the angle, tone, or style of the piece.

Contact the editor, producer, or news director if a journalist is unresponsive or unwilling to help. However, a drawback of this is that it could ruin your relationship with the reporter. If it’s a small blunder, such as a misspelt name or an inaccurate date, you might be better off overlooking it.

No matter how upset you or your client are, taking a hardline stance is never a wise move. Remember that the error may not have been made by the journalist — headlines, for example, are usually written by someone else and an editor may have unwittingly made a mistake during the editing process.

But what if a reporter doesn’t present the complete story, and the omission or lack of context alters the sense or message? This is where good relationships come in handy. It’s a lot easier to strike up a conversation and express your point of view if you know the journalist. Even if you don’t, most people are likely to be receptive to a civil, productive discussion on issues or angles that they may have overlooked.

Counteract with Content

Another way to deal with media misinformation is to create as much content as possible about the client that has been unfairly represented. Publish it on their platforms, such as a blog or social media accounts. Then, perhaps with a link to your blog post, you can comment on the original news piece on websites and social media. This may scoop up traffic from the inaccurate news piece, bringing visitors to your site to hear your side of the story.

Try not to repeat the false information in your content, if possible. Even if you’re demonstrating why a narrative is wrong, simply repeating it might reinforce the falsehood in your audience’s minds. Rather, concentrate on the facts. Instead of inaccurate information, the idea is to increase familiarity with the correct version.

Always be clear, upfront and truthful. If a newspaper report containing an error is, overall, accurate about a mistake your client made, it may well be prudent to own up to it. Communicate what will change in the future to fix errors and difficulties.

Social Media Dilemma

In terms of the relegation of fact-based content, social media has played an immensely disappointing, destructive role. But you need to be more cautious than with other media forms when considering correcting it. If you respond to a negative rumor on Twitter, for instance, right away, you’re more likely to cause more harm than good. Take a deep breath, engage with your team, and carefully consider your reaction.

What exactly was said, and what was implied? Who said it, and what may have been their motivation? How much has the inaccurate post been shared or retweeted? Can you demand it be retracted or taken down?

Remember, even if you are successful in having the misinformation removed, a lot of social media posts never truly disappear. Screenshots and cached content often lurk, ready to be recycled. The greatest strategy to combat social media untruths is to have a stronger narrative and a louder bullhorn. The ultimate goal is to have control over a powerful version of the story that favours you. You don’t want to come across as vindictive, furious, or frustrated. The emphasis should not solely be on “correcting” the data. The idea should be to portray yourself in such a way that people want to believe the best about you or your client.

Whatever the platform incorrect information has appeared on – from an Instagram post to the evening news – try to avoid legal action. It is, of course, frequently costly, protracted and may unearth facts that you or your client would rather have stayed buried. Generally speaking, it should be very much a last resort.

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Curzon PR is a London-based PR firm working with clients globally. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our Business Development Team bd@curzonpr.com