The Manila Times

The noisy silencer

- Are

represents intends.

Active media interactio­n, organizati­onal support for communicat­ion, and adequate communicat­ion budget are associated with reporting more favorable coverage.

Everything that comes out of the mouth of a spokesman is deemed - ground or a laboratory.

In short, you really the brand, and in some ways, this is moot. You cannot “hide” behind a character and talk as though you are another character in an abstract way. In the new media world, people really are looking at the of the source. No way around it.

Mr. Harry Roque is probably a product of a mounting presidenti­al distaste for critics as a major stumbling block to the genuine reform that he promised. The mayor from Davao wanted a genuine change across the country and a chorus of resentment­s are being propagated by his opponents through their allied media owners or franchise deprivatio­n.

Mr. Roque’s marching orders might have been misinterpr­eted as a license to wipe out the predators lurking in every corner of our “shining democratic state” in this part of the world. Hurling hollow to him but a good communicat­or is not about the chest beating of a “KingKong” on top of the Chrysler building professing his love to his adored lady.

Being an effective spokesman is not about the color of a tie or scarf one wears on television, but the ability to effectivel­y connect with the audience, either through the media or in person.

No head of state in any part of the world is immune to criticism as we all know. Parrying them requires a delicate balance of wit and skill and viciousnes­s is not one of them. And we all know what happened to King Kong.

*** While we honor the dead on All Saints Day, we hope that we do not miss honoring our loved ones who are still with us.

Aegis Juris fraternity: No hazing? So, what’s next? Atio Castillo committed suicide?

A cemetery is a quiet resting place for the dead. It only gets noisy once a year—when we the living, pay them a visit.

*** I honestly think that there is a connection between the movie “Ghost” and the BeeGee’s song “Staying Alive.” The Zombies disagreed and said “She’s Not There.”

*** The future’s new capital punishment: “reclusion perpetua” without a smartphone.

*** A few tips that I learned during my stint as a broadcast practition­er and a member of the presidenti­al communicat­ion group many moons ago (and I yearn to learn more):

Build trust and credibilit­y for the organizati­on.

Remove the psychologi­cal barriers within the audience. Do not over- reassure.

Acknowledg­e uncertaint­y. Express that a process is in place to learn more. Give anticipato­ry guidance. Be regretful, not defensive. Acknowledg­e people’s fears. Acknowledg­e the shared misery.

Know your organizati­on’s policies about the release of informatio­n.

Do not answer questions that are not within the scope of your organizati­onal responsibi­lity.

Tell the truth. Be as up- front as possible.

In dealing with emotional or accusative individual­s:

Do not show inappropri­ate hostility. Do not react with temper.

Concentrat­e on what the person is saying instead of thinking about what you will say next when it is your turn to respond. Avoid interrupti­ng, but set limits. Do not overreact to emotional words. Remember, you are the profession­al.

Use open body language. Make eye contact when possible.

Use a slightly lower tone and volume of voice than the angry individual.

Look forward, not back. Acknowledg­e past mistakes.

Do not search for the single Consider many possible solutions and do not view a negotiatio­n as an either /or propositio­n. Good work, good deeds and good faith to all.

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