THINKING DANGEROUSLY:
Negotiating public information during crisis
Thursday, June 10th, 3:00 – 5:00, Bernath Auditorium
Wayne State University
The BP oil spill, the economic meltdown of 2009, and the H1N1 pandemic are just some of the dramatic events that impact the lives of millions, create serious challenges for organizations and governments, and shift the public agenda. The media play a particularly critical role in these events. They inform the public both during the immediacy of the event and more long term as the crisis subsides. To fulfill this role, the media must rely on organizational spokespersons and media relations professionals.
This program features remarks from Dr. Lee Wilkins followed by a panel discussion. This presentation is free and open to the public and is part of the Department of Communication's annual Summer Doctoral Seminar.
Dr. Lee Wilkins (PhD, University of Oregon, 1982) is a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, with a joint appointment in the Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs. She is author or co-author of a number of books on science, risk, and disaster. She also edits a leading journal, the Journal of Mass Media Ethics. Dr. Wilkins is a consultant for federal and nongovernmental agencies on risk communication issues and developed a series of workshops for journalists on covering disasters and terrorism.
Panel Discussants:
John J. Austerberry is Senior Media Relations Representative with DTE Energy where he has worked for the past thirteen years focusing on nuclear and environmental issues management. He is a board member of the Detroit Chapter, Public Relations Society of America. Prior to joining DTE, John spent twelve years as daily newspaper reporter.
Joe Grimm is a visiting journalist at Michigan State University. He was newsroom recruiter and staff development editor at the Detroit Free Press. Grimm created "100 Questions and Answers About Arab Americans" in 2000. He posted that guide the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks and it became a timely and heavily trafficked publication.
Mary T. Henige, APR, is Director, Social Media & Digital Communications at General Motors where she leads GM’s social media efforts. She helped create the www.gmreinvention web site, which was launched after GM filed for Chapter 11 on June 1. She has held a variety of other communications positions in her 23 years with General Motors including director, strategic and executive communications.
Dr. Michael Lewis (Ph.D., Wayne State University) is a former Mike Wallace Investigative Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan and a former reporter and anchor at WDIV-TV4 Detroit. He currently heads the journalism program at the University of Michigan-Flint. Lewis also reported for The Detroit News and Booth Newspapers, and did freelance reporting for the Associated Press Radio Network from the former Soviet Union.