MEDIA MANAGEMENT PLAN
1.Objective :
(i)To post the public with factual information pertaining to the accident.
(ii)To convey certain information which is of use to passengers.
(iii)To convey specific information which is of use to relatives of dead and injured passengers.
(iv)To create a positive public opinion.
(v)To create a healthy relationship with the press and electronic media.
2.Duties of PR Organization :
(i)CPRO and his team will collect whatsoever information is available from Divisional Control Office and first information would be released to the media within 60 minutes of intimation of the accident.
(ii)The information shall include telephone numbers of Helpline Enquiry Booths.
(iii)CPRO, PRO and the entire PR organization should proceed to the accident site in the 1st Special train carrying GM and other hdqrts. officers.
(iv)Number of photographers with digital cameras and video photographers should also be taken along to the accident site.
(v)Both CPRO and PRO will be available in the UCC during the day.
(vi)Responsible PR supervisors should be deputed during night shift for interacting with the media, if necessary.
(vii)CPRO will organize Press Briefings at fixed timings as detailed in Section 6 below.
(viii)PR organization shall monitor various important media channels to keep track of media reporting. Suitable corrections/clarifications may also be issued, if required.
3.Spokes person :
(i)Only GM, DRM, CPRO, Chief Emergency Officer in Hdqrts. Emergency Cell and Divisional Emergency Officer in Divisional Emergency Cell are competent to interact or give interview to press and electronic media.
(ii)Apart from the above, any other officer authorized by GM is competent to interact or give interview to press and electronic media.
(iii)Railway�s endeavour shall be to ensure that only factually correct and confirmed information is relayed to the media.
(iv)No inflated or exaggerated version of any fact should be relayed to the media.
(v)Unconfirmed news having no authentic source shall not be relayed to media.
(vi)No railwaymen shall express or voice any criticism, or express his personal opinion or views about the accident, at any point of time.
4.Information to be relayed to Press and Electronic Media :
Information to be given to media can be broadly segregated into following categories :
(a)Accident :
(i)Nature of the accident � date, time, place, exact location, train no., number of coaches involved etc.
(ii)Details of how the accident most probably occurred.
(iii)Prima-facie cause of the accident will be relayed to Media only with the approval of GM.
(iv)Sabotage, even if suspected, will not be relayed to Media, without approval of Railway Board.
(v)Periodic reports regarding progress of rescue and relief work.
(vi)Expected date and time of restoration.
(b)Uninjured Passengers :
(i)Steps being taken to provide beverages, refreshments and first aid treatment for unaffected passengers.
(ii)Steps being taken by railways for clearance of unaffected passengers.
(iii)Expected time of departure of front portion of accident involved train.
(iv)Its likely time of arrival at the destination.
(v)Expected time of departure of rear portion of accident involved train.
(vi)Its diverted route and likely time of arrival at the destination.
(vii)In case empty coaching rakes have been arranged, then details of the same.
(viii)Road bridging being done, labourers provided for transhipment of luggage.
(c)Dead and Injured passengers :
(i)Steps taken by Railways to render immediate medical attention.
(ii)No. of injured passengers rescued.
(iii)Breakup of their injuries :
-Grievous,
-Simple,
-Trivial.
(iv)Names of hospitals where injured are being treated.
(v)Approximately how many patients have been admitted in each of these hospitals.
(vi)Names of injured passengers.
(vii)Communication facilities like cell phones, STD phones provided at these hospitals.
(viii)Payment of ex-gratia.
(ix)Facilities offered to relatives of victims, including free pass for journeys.
(x)Special trains being run for bringing relatives of dead and injured.
(xi)Number of dead bodies recovered and number of bodies identified.
(xii)Identification of dead bodies takes much longer since either
-they were travelling alone, or
-their companions are injured and are not in a position to identify them, or
-their companions have also perished.
(xiii)Under such circumstances it is possible to identify dead bodies only when relatives come from their home town.
(xiv)This aspect of identification of dead bodies and reasons for delay should be explained to the media.
(d)Helpline Enquiry Booths :
(i)Setting up of Helpline Enquiry Booths.
(ii)Details of Helpline Enquiry Booths as follows :
-Stations where these have been opened.
-Telephone Nos.
-FAX Nos.
-Internet address of NCR on the railnet website, (www.ncr.railnet.gov.in).
(e)Train Services :
(i)Details of train operation with regard to :
-Diversion,
-Regulation,
-Rescheduling,
-Short termination,
-Cancellation.
(ii)Running of 2 passenger specials for carrying relatives to the site of accident.
(iii)These trains will be started from the originating and destination stations of the accident involved train and will be given same stoppages as the accident involved train for picking up relatives enroute.
(iv)Expected departure time of relatives special from their originating stations.
(v)Refunds being granted in Helpline Enquiry Booths for passengers whose journey have been interrupted.
5. Casualty figures :
(i)In all accidents, as long as rescue and relief work continues, there is always a difference between casualty figures given by railways and casualty figures quoted by the Media.
(ii)The reason for this difference is that railways give casualty figures based on actual number of dead bodies recovered; whereas Media estimates casualty figures based on the damage visible and likely final tally.
(iii)During Press Briefings, this point should be clarified that at that point of time so many bodies have been recovered.
(iv)However, it should also be made clear that casualty figures are likely to go up since rescue work is still continuing.
(v)Assessment regarding likely number of deaths and injuries may also be made if considered necessary. Such an assessment should be based on :
-Total number of coaches involved.
-Number of coaches searched.
-Number of coaches yet to be dealt with.
(vi)Particular reference should also be made to coaches that are crushed or that have climbed on top, and have not yet been searched.
(vii)For example, the media can be informed that as of 13/- hrs., 2 coaches have been dealt with and __ no. of bodies have been recovered. 8 more coaches are still to be searched and casualties are likely to go up.
6. Press Briefings at accident site :
(i)CPRO on arrival at accident site shall collect factual information from the OC Site and relay the same to Media personnel at site and also to Divisional Emergency Officer in the Divisional Emergency Cell. Thus, an on line communication channel will be established to keep media informed of all important details.
(ii)The first Press Briefing will be held within one hour of CPRO�s arrival at site. Subsequent briefings will be held according to the schedule given below.
(iii)CPRO or PRO should be available in the UCC during Press Briefings.
(iv)There should be fixed time Press Briefings so that there is no confusion regarding different versions given to separate channels at various points of time.
(v)Simultaneous Press Briefings should be held at accident site as also at Hdqrts. Emergency Cell and Divisional Emergency Cell as per fixed timings given below, so that the same version is given by all concerned.
(vi)Information to be given to the media will be of -/30 hrs. earlier. For example the media briefing held at 7/30 hrs. will convey all information as at 7/- on that date.
(vii)On the first two days, there should be 6 media briefings per day. These should be scheduled at the following timings :
-7/30 hrs.
-10/30 hrs.
-13/30 hrs.
-16/30 hrs.
-19/30 hrs.
-22/30 hrs.
(viii)Thereafter, for the remaining days, there should be 3 media briefings per day. These should be scheduled at the following timings :
-7/30 hrs.
-13/30 hrs.
-19/30 hrs.
(ix)All media releases will be up loaded on the North Central Railway website, and new page opened to give specific information with regard to the accident. The priority of information release to various media will be as under :
-TV Channels.
-Agencies � UNI, PTI, Varta, Bhasha.
-Print Media.
(x)Convenience and conveyance of media shall be taken care of by PR personnel with assistance of Commercial representatives at site. Media persons should be conducted to hospitals where injured are being treated.
(xi)Commercial department should ensure that list of passengers who traveled by the accident involved train along with list of dead and injured in the accident reach PR officials at the earliest.
