CDC and Bioterrorism : Anthrax Response
A Communications Perspective
Kay Sessions Golan
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office of the Director
Director, Division of Media Relations (1997-2002)
September, 2002
CDC Overview
- National Public Health Agency 8,500
employees in 170 disciplines
- Best known for “Disease Detectives”
- Atlanta National HQ
- CDC includes 12 Centers, Institutes and
Offices
- $4 Billion budget
CDC Media Relations
Public Health in the News
(graphic: a montage of various news
organization logos)
Comment: Science is a work-in-progress, where
the end of the story … may just be the beginning.
Science is constantly changing, therefore, it has
many gray areas, it is a complex subject. Our job
is help scientists explain the complexities of
their work in understandable terms and to help
journalists sort through the complexities of
science and report these responsibly.
Communication Industry Today
- 2,901 broadcast TV stations
- 2,278 daily newspapers
- 12,687 magazines
- 109,574,429 web sites (01/01)
(17,000 health-related sites)
- CDC in the news:
- 2001 – 17,205
- 1990 - 6,330
Comment: We directly experience this message
barrage in the Office of Communication. Health in
general is receiving more media attention than
ever before. According to a search of the
Lexis-Nexis database, CDC was mentioned by name
over 17,538 in 1998, 11,529 times in 1995 - up
from 6,000 in 1990. As of Oct. 1999 CDC mentioned
14,776. Calls to our press office increased from
around 8,000 in 1989 to over 20,000 in the last
three years.
The World Changes
Tragic Event Activates Emergency Response
Systems
Communication Centralized
CDC Responds
(graphic: famous photo of 3 firemen raising
flag at the World Trade Center site)
10/4/01 World Changes Again
(graphic: montage of newspaper headlines
related to anthrax threats)
And it only got more complicated from here…
A multi-state investigation intensified
(pictures of anthrax letter to Tom Brokaw;
researcher in laboratory working with the letter)
Adapting to a Crisis: Stick to the Basics
- Timely and Accurate Release of Information
- Media Response
- Issues Management
- Promotion
Release of Information
Multi-Channel
- Press Releases - Two daily updates
- Daily Telebriefings
- Audio News Release – English and Spanish
- VNR, Bites and B-roll – Broadcast and Web
- MAT Article
- Individual Interviews, Field Press
Conferences
- Professional Satellite Trainings
Surge Capacity
350 Press Calls Per Day
- Shift Press Officers to Media Response; 12/7
to 24/7
- Deploy Press Officers with Investigation
Teams
- Create Teams - Expanded Work Hours/Schedules
CDC - By the Numbers
October 1, 2001 – January 19, 2002
| Phone press briefings |
Press Releases |
Press calls |
Print media mentions |
Broadcast interviews aired |
| 23 (1,909
journalists) |
44 |
7,737 |
12,454 |
306 |
- 10/18/01 VNR - aired 923 times, 50 M audience
- 12/13/01 VNR - aired 216 times, 34 M audience
- 3 ANRs replayed 1,359 times reaching 10.7 M
- CDC PHTN hosted 10 programs reaching 10.3 M
- CDC responded to 18,000 public inquiries
Lessons Learned
Communication: Integral part of response across
CDC – various audiences
- Get News Out Quickly: Don’t Speculate
- Timelines: Accuracy
- Trusted Spokespersons
- Stay in your Niche
- Daily Updates Essential
RISK COMMUNICATION
- Don’t over reassure
- Acknowledge uncertainty
- Emphasize the process and next steps
- Give anticipatory guidance
- Be regretful, not defensive
- Acknowledge people’s fears
- Express through “wishes”
- Give people things to do
Take Away Tips
- Stay Calm – Set the Tone
- Rotate Staff
- Rotate Leadership (hardest to do)
- Don’t Take it Personally
- Let it Go
- Be Flexible
- Ask for help
Comment: Mixed Message? Promote public health
and good public health messages in the media; be
proactive; but represent the agency, speak with
one voice, put it in context, get it cleared etc.
FOODBORNE OUTBREAK
- Communicate what you know for sure
- Transmission: Food only? Person to person ?
- Communicate Next Steps - process
- Communicate about your niche only
- Group Telebriefings
- Point to others web sites
- Investigation findings will always precede regulatory decisions
A Balancing Act
Meeting the Needs of the Media vs. Timely and
Accurate Release of Information
(Closing slide: view of the ocean and
conference logo)