[Campaignforrealdemocracy] PR expert comments on St Paul's handling of situation

[Mark Barrett]

Subject: [Occupy London] fyi: PRcommen

http://www.prweek.com/uk/News/MostRead/1101119/St-Pauls-Cathedral-advisers-PR-disaster-according-PR-experts/

St Paul's Cathedral and advisers in 'PR disaster' according to PR experts


Matt Cartmell, prweek.com, 27 October 2011, 5:11pm


1 article comment.

St Paul's Cathedral, which is being advised by PR agency 33rpm, has been
made to look 'incredibly stupid' in its media handling of the siege of St
Paul's, according to top comms experts.
St. Paul's: Scene of Occupy London protests
St. Paul's: Scene of Occupy London protests

PRWeek can reveal that St Paul’s is being advised on the handling of the
protest outside the church by Yorkshire-based PR agency 33rpm, whose owner
Rob Marshall is working alongside St Pauls’ press and comms officer Hannah
Talbot.

Marshall is an Anglican priest and was formerly press secretary to the
Archbishop of York.

The church’s chancellor, the Rev. Giles Fraser, yesterday resigned over
plans to forcibly remove the protesters.

George Pitcher, who
until September was secretary for public affairs to
the Archbishop of Canterbury, said: ‘The comms handling has been
disastrous. Clearly no-one has offered the basic comms advice, which is:
"If you embark on this strategy, you will lose Giles Fraser. You will have
pictures of violent eviction all over the press. Do you really want that
to happen?"

‘They’ve grasped a PR disaster from the jaws of everyday life.’

The Occupy London tented protest, which has been camped outside St Paul’s
since 15 October, has led to increasing tensions between the church and
the anti-capitalist movement.

The church closed its doors last Friday, blaming health and safety fears.
However, after losing an estimated £120,000 in revenue over six days, it
is expected to reopen today.

Media House International executive chairman Jack Irvine said: ‘It was a
business disaster, but they’ve completed it with silly PR, by giving a
misleading impression of what the situation really was. Then they
have to
swallow their own words to say it will reopen.

‘The whole media handling has made them look incredibly stupid. In fact,
there was no media handling.’

The church initially supported the protesters, but asked them to leave
last week when their camp engulfed the square in front of St Paul’s main
entrance.

Marshall responded to the comments by saying: 'These people are extremely
ill-informed. We've been dealing with hundreds of media calls a day. The
problem we have is we're in a post-Christian culture. A lot of people
don't understand the issues with running a world-renowned building like
St. Paul's.

'The biggest problem we've had was in the health and safety issue. When
you're told there's a liability for all these people in the cathedral, and
outside you've got people with Calor Gas stoves and cigarettes and so on -
a lot of our guys were not prepared to take that risk.'

Marshall explained that the church has reopened after spending hours
adapting the site, although
the dome will remain closed.

'PR has difficulties with the nuances of injunction and eviction,' added
Marshall. 'We've been saying that we want them to go peacefully, but
you've got to start the process somewhere. Eviction is a long way down the
line.

'There was no need for Giles to resign at this point. We want a peaceful
resolution.'





------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------




-- 
Apathy is Dead !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarider/5254770064/#/photos/solarider/5254770064/lightbox/