Communications Corner: Designating a Spokesperson

Does your utility or city have a designated spokesperson, the individual who answers media questions whenever the situation arises? If not, you may want to consider having someone to fill this role.
 
A designated spokesperson may or may not be at the top of the org chart. The spokesperson should be someone:
 

• Comfortable answering questions in a one-on-one setting and in front of a larger group, such as a media conference or major event that would attract media attention.
• Calm, cool, and collected, as they say, in stressful situations. Sometimes having to answer question after question about a situation or issue can be taxing. Make sure the individual doesn’t mind having to answer several, often tough, questions in a professional, pleasant manner.
• Trusted in the community. You want your audience – the media, customers, and elected officials – to feel confident in the answers that the spokesperson provides.

 
Once you’ve designated a spokesperson make sure:

• That individual gets the training to be the best they can possibly be in the role.
• Other staff know to direct any media questions to the spokesperson instead of trying to answer questions on their own. You want to make sure that the response comes from one individual who has all the information necessary to answer the questions as accurately and as completely as possible.