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MEDIA
MANAGEMENT PLAN (Chapter – 14) |
14.1 OBJECTIVE
14.1.1
To post the public with factual information pertaining to the accident.
14.1.2
To convey certain information which is of use to passengers.
14.1.3
To convey specific information which is of use to relatives of dead and
injured passengers.
14.1.4
To create a positive public opinion.
14.1.5 To create a healthy
relationship with the press and electronic media.
14.2
DUTIES OF PR ORGANISATION
14.2.1
CPRO and his team will collect whatsoever information is available from
Divisional Control Office and first information would be released to the media
within 60 minutes of intimation of the accident.
14.2.2
The information shall include telephone numbers of Helpline Enquiry
Booths.
14.2.3
CPRO, PRO and the entire PR organization should proceed to the accident
site in the 1st Special train carrying GM and other HQ Officers.
14.2.4
Number of photographers with digital cameras and video photographers
should also be taken along to the accident site.
14.2.5
Both CPRO and PRO will be available in the UCC during the day.
14.2.6
Responsible PR supervisors should be deputed during night shift for
interacting with the media, if necessary.
14.2.7
CPRO will organize Press briefings at fixed timings as detailed in
Section 6 below.
14.2.8 PR organization shall
monitor various important media channels to keep track of media reporting.
Suitable corrections/clarifications may also be issued, if required.
14.3 SPOKES PERSON
14.3.1
Only GM, DRM, CPRO, Chief Emergency Officer in HQ Emergency Cell and
Divisional Emergency Officer in Divisional Emergency Cell are competent to
interact or give interview to press and electronic media.
14.3.2
Apart from the above, any other officer authorized by GM is competent
to interact or give interview to press and electronic media.
14.3.3
Railway’s endeavor shall be to ensure that only factually correct and
conformed information is relayed to the media.
14.3.4
No inflated or exaggerated version of any fact should be relayed to the
media.
14.3.5
Unconfirmed new having no authentic source shall not be relayed to
media.
14.3.6 No Railwaymen shall express
or voice any criticism, or express his personal opinion or views about the
accident, at any point of time.
14.4 INFORMATION TO BE RELAYED TO PRESS AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Information to be given to media can be broadly
segregated into following categories :
14.4.1
Accident
i.
Nature of the accident – date, time, place, exact location, train no.
number of coaches involved etc.
ii.
Details of how the accident most probably occurred.
iii.
Prima-facie cause of the accident will be relayed to Media only with
the approval of GM.
iv.
Sabotage, even if suspected, will not be relayed to Media, without
approval of Railway Board.
v.
Periodic reports regarding progress of rescue and relief work.
vi.
Expected date and time of restoration.
14.4.2
Un-injured passengers
i.
Steps being taken to provide beverages, refreshments and first aid
treatment for unaffected passengers.
ii.
Step being taken by railways for clearance of unaffected passengers.
iii.
Expected time of departure of front portion of accident involved train.
iv.
Its likely time of arrival at the destination.
v.
Expected time of departure of rear portion of accident involved train.
vi.
Its diverted route and likely time of arrival at the destination.
vii.
In case empty coaching rakes have been arranged, then details of the
same.
viii.
Road bridging being done, labourers provided for transshipment of
luggage.
14.4.3
Dead and Injured passengers
i.
Steps taken by Railways to render immediate medical attention.
ii.
No. of injured passengers rescued.
iii.
Breakup of their injuries:
F
Grievous,
F
Simple,
F
Trivial.
iv.
Names of hospitals where injured are being treated.
v.
Approximately how many patients have been admitted in each of these
hospitals.
vi.
Names of injured passengers.
vii.
Communication facilities like cell phones, STD phones provided at these
hospitals.
viii.
Payment of ex-gratia.
ix.
Facilities offered to relatives of victims, including free pass for
journeys.
x.
Special trains being run for bringing relatives of dead and injured.
xi.
Number of dead bodies recovered and number of bodies identified.
14.4.4
Help line Enquiry Booths
i.
Setting up of Helpline Enquiry Booths.
ii.
Details of Helpline enquiry Booths as follows:
F
Stations
where these have been opened.
F
Telephone
Nos.
F
FAX
Nos.
F
Interest
address of ECOR on the Railnet website
14.4.5
Train Services
i.
Details of train operation with regard to diversion, cancellation etc.
ii.
Running of special trains for carrying relatives to the site of
accident.
iii.
Expected departure time of relatives special from their originating
stations.
iv.
Refund being granted in helpline Enquiry Booths for passengers whose
journey have been interrupted
14.5
CASUALTY FIGURES
14.5.1
In all accidents, as long as rescue and relief work continues,
there is always a difference between casualty
figures given by railways and casualty figures quoted by the Media.
14.5.2
The reason for this difference is that railways give casualty figures
based on actual number of dead bodies recovered, whereas Media estimates casualty figures based on the damage
visible and likely final tally.
14.5.3
During Press Briefings, this point should be clarified that at that
point of time so many bodies have been recovered.
14.5.4
However, it should also be made clear that casualty figures are likely to go up since rescue
work is still continuing.
14.5.5
Assessment regarding likely number of deaths and injuries may also be
made if considered necessary. Such assessment should be based on :
i.
Total number of coaches involved.
ii.
Number of coaches searched.
iii.
Number of coaches yet to be dealt with.
14.5.6
Particular reference should also be made to coaches that are crushed or
that have climbed on top, and have not yet been searched.
14.5.7 For example, the media can
be informed that as of 13 hrs., 2 coaches have been dealt with and so many
numbers of bodies have been recovered. 8 more coaches are still to be searched
and casualties are likely to go up.
14.6
PRESS BRIEFINGS AT ACCIDENT
SITE
14.6.1
CPRO on arrival at accident site shall collect factual information from
the OIC site and relay the same to Media personnel at site and also to
divisional Emergency Officer in the Divisional Emergency Cell. Thus, an on line
communication channel will be established to keep media informed of all
important details.
14.6.2
The first Press briefing will be held within one hour of CPRO’s arrival
at site. Subsequent briefings will be held according to the schedule given
below.
14.6.3
CPRO or PRO should be available in the UCC during Press Briefings.
14.6.4
There should be fixed time Press Briefings so that there is no
confusion regarding different versions given to separate channels at various
points of time.
14.6.5
Simultaneous Press Briefings should be held at accident site as also at
Hq. Emergency Cell and Divisional Emergency Cell as per fixed timings given
below so that the same version is given by all concerned.
14.6.6
Information to be given to the media will be of -/30 hrs. earlier. For example the media
briefing held at 7/30 hrs. will covey all information as at 7/- on that date.
14.6.7
On the first two days, there should be 3 media briefings per day. These
should be scheduled at the following timings :
i.
7/30 hrs,
ii.
13.30 hrs,
iii.
19.30 hrs
14.6.8
Thereafter, as per condition of the site, media briefing to be
done.
14.6.9
All media releases will be up loaded on the East Coast Railway website,
and new page opened to give specific information with regard to the accident.
The priority of information release to various
media will be as under:
i.
TV Channels.
ii.
Agencies UNI, PTI
iii.
Print Media.
14.6.10
Convenience and conveyance of media shall be taken care of by PR
personnel with assistance of Commercial representatives at site. Media persons should be conveyed to
hospitals where injured are being treated.
14.6.11
Commercial department should ensure that list of passengers who
traveled by the accident involved train along with list of dead and injured in
the accident reach PR officials at the earliest.