Redefined Media Sets New Standards For Companies Involved In Political Contributions and Government

Read crisis communications expert Richard Levick’s advice for companies on what to do when caught in a political contribution or government contract investigation. Importance of the various media channels for today’s companies.

[ClickPress, Thu Mar 15 2007] Richard Levick, President / CEO of Levick Strategic Communications (http://www.levick.com), believes that with high scrutiny over government contracts companies need to prepare themselves accordingly and has written an article on how to navigate investigations over political contributions and government contracts.

It’s no secret that government contracts are being examined closer than ever in today’s global climate. So it makes sense that following the existing rules and employing high ethical behavior is not enough and is in fact, just a start when it comes to being caught in an inquiry over a government contract your company is involved with.

Companies need to realize that the media and others can now take advantage of global distribution networks, virtual real-time research, and a twenty-four-hour news cycle. The media—once restricted to print and television—or even Internet news sites--now includes mediums like blogs, instant chat, and online posts. With so many ways for disseminating news, it’s virtually guaranteed that once something gets out there, people will here about it.

For organizations and individuals caught in a political contribution or government contracting investigation, Levick offers these high-stakes communications strategies tips.

Be quick. Assess short and long-term damage, assemble resources, differentiate your allies from your enemies, decide on the key message, and spread that message out to all relevant markets.

Understand reality. The media operates nonstop and once a story is out there, it’s out there and must be handled accordingly.

Take into account various media channels. New media channels are materializing all the time so be sure to have one person who can give insight to reach Internet communication channels like blogs.

Use technology to your advantage. Find someone with the expertise and experience to help you enter the battle.

The full article titled “Political Contributions and Government Contracts – Playing the Game While Navigating the Maze” can be found at http://www.levick.com/resources/topics/issues/govt_contracts.php

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Honored as Crisis Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report in 2005, Levick Strategic Communications –http://www.levick.com-- protects brands and reputations during crises and high-stakes litigation with comprehensive campaigns on behalf of clients on high-stakes communications such as crisis management consulting. Visit http://www.levick.com to find other helpful articles books, and newsletters.