Crisis information is mainly spread through several channels, such as video & TV, newspaper & magazine, word of mouth, and Internet, which can be classified as mass media and interpersonal communication. Enterprises may not control interpersonal communication, but they can influence mass media with public relations campaigns. It’s noteworthy that consumer complaints and press agentry may gradually aggravate crisis. 

 

Therefore, crisis public relations should be focused on timely and targeted occupation for the spreading channels above, in an effort to minimize negative effects of crisis information. 

 

With development of the Internet, the influence of online news has gradually walked to the real life from the virtual world, and it is hard to predict and control. Toshiba’s notebook crisis was spread starting the Internet, so enterprises should keep an eye on and make use of this channel. It’s especially noteworthy that enterprises in crisis cannot get rid of the attention of the press, for you are the best source of information. Media care about the progress and resolution of the dispute, and the inside story. 

 

Thus, enterprises should make good use of news effects of media to minimize negative influence of crisis, and strive for fair and objective news coverage. If enterprises simply beg objective and fair coverage, but not adopt active and effective public relations measures and aftermath treatment, they right suit the appetite of the press for in-depth coverage. It’s very important for enterprises to find sources of news from themselves, such as admitting mistakes, adopting compromising attitude. Though reluctant, eventually they will take this way. Enterprises should partly open to news media, such as inviting some industry reporters to visit them and to experience corporate atmosphere, as a move to change the attitude of reporters with objective facts. In addition, they should take active measures and high profile to handle various relations in crisis, and earn trust and support from news media with practical actions, which have highest persuasion. Take 2010 “Japan Airlines Incident” as an example, it’s media that first sparked, first discussed, first objectively reported the incident, and in the end it depended on media to form a consensus with Japan Airlines. There are two factors attributed to the change of media: First, Japan Airlines’ survey report was quite detailed and accurate, and media got to know that it’s a business dispute when they knew more about the truth, making widely-speculated ethnic discrimination issues settled down, and making difficulty of crisis public relations minimized for Japan Airlines, so as to avoid triggering bigger public opinion pressure in China. Second, corporate public relations played a big role in discipline of media. Japan Airlines actively strived for the understanding and support from new media. Before the 3.15 World Consumer Rights Day in 2001, some media gathered to hold a symposium, where they reached a consensus on “Japan Airlines Incident”, and since then, public opinions started to turn calm and objective. 

 

During the crisis rehabilitation in the online economy era, the role of news media cannot be underestimated, just like an old saying: The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows it (up). Enterprises need their publicity in peace time, not to speak of the adverse situation. The result of crisis public relations largely depends on whether the spreading of crisis public relations is successful or not. The resolution of crisis of Japan Airlines can just prove it.