CRISIS ANALYSIS

Crisis Communication, JMC 4413

Borja Gonzalez, Cristina

FAIRFAX BACKGROUND

Industry Media

Founded 1841

Headquarters Pyrmont, Australia

Area Served Australia, New Zealand

Key people Greg Hywood (CEO)

Roger Corbett (Chairman)

Products Newspapers, Radio, Magazines and

Internet.

Employees 8.416 full- time

1. 748 part- time and casual

Top 3 Competitors Twenty-First Century Fox, Inc.

APN News & Media Limited

PBL Media Holdings Pty Limited

CRISIS BACKGROUND

• Howard Sattler, Drive presenter on Perth radio station 6PR, put a number of questions to Prime Minister Julia Gillard regarding the sexuality of her partner, Tim Mathieson.

• Sattler, a veteran commercial radio talkback host in Perth, told Gillard he wanted to clear up myths.

• The Prime Minister answered Mr. Sattler's questions with dignity and some patience.

• Fairfax Radio management reviewed this interview and considered that the questions posed by Mr. Sattler were “disrespectful and irrelevant to the political debate”.

ORGANIZATION RESPONSE

• According to The Guardian, thestation "suspended Sattlerpending an internal inquiry of theinterview", but later the stationannounced Sattler was axed.

• The interview was followed bythe widespread publiccondemnation of the host.

• Sattler indented to take legalaction against Fairfax Media.

• He only had six months left onhis two-year contract.

• Sattler was also dumped from aLiberal Party function.

MEDIA NEW TREATMENT

“Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she is worried

young girls are being turned off public life by

seeing the way she is being treated”

06/13/2013

“Howard Sattler says he is planning legal action

after he was sacked for asking Prime Minister Julia

Gillard if her partner Tim Mathieson is gay”

06/14/2013

“Perth shock jock Howard Sattler may sue Fairfax

after he was sacked for asking Prime Minister Julia

Gillard questions about her partner's sexuality

during a live radio interview”

06/14/2013

MEDIA RESPONSE

MEDIA RESPONSE

MEDIA NEW TREATMENT

“Sattler has ‘no regrets’ over Gillard chat.

Perth shock jock Howard Sattler will pursue

legal action against Fairfax radio after he was

sacked for asking prime minister Julia Gillard

whether her partner is gay”

06/15/2013

“(…) Personal attacks are mounting against

Gillard, including a menu item at an

opposition party fundraiser this week that

she called "grossly sexist and offensive"

06/15/2013

STAKEHOLDERS RESPONSE

STAKEHOLDERS RESPONSE

• Co-founder of Facebook activist group Destroy the Joint, Jenna Price, said that “to say a man would be treated with similar disrespect is ridiculous”. News.com

• Destroy The Joint is an activistgroup that stands for genderequality and civil discourse inAustralia. The name "Destroy TheJoint" came from the on-aircomments of the controversial 2GBbroadcaster Alan Jones, whostated in an on-air discussion that"womenare destroying the joint".

• The term "destroy the joint" or"destroying the joint" has enteredthe Australian lexicon.

• It rejects the suggestion thatwomen are destroying the jointand represents a call to action forAustralians who reject sexism andseek a civil and decent society.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Not hire controversial presenters like Howard Sattler as it may seriously damage

Fairfax image and reputation.

Open and prompt communication with its stakeholders is essential to protect its

image

Establish and maintain public’s credibility by communicating openly and honestly..

Fairfax should identify a spokespersons for informing about oncoming crisis and

avoid rumors.

Fairfax must show those affected by the crisis that the organization is using a

reasonable, caring process to resolve the problem.

Stay in touch with the community after a crisis, especially with those directly

affected.

Analyze the outcome and the media coverage - both positive and negative. Revise

their crisis communication plan to reflect what has been learned.

¡MUCHAS GRACIAS!