The company decided that the site of the oil spill would be the media headquarters. However, this decision was an issue because “Valdez was a remote Alaskan town with limited communications operations” (Seitel, 2011, p.101). Phone lines were frequently jammed and journalists had a difficult time reporting on the oil spill because of the restrictive communication barriers. As a result, it was speculated that Exxon was covering up information. The company should have been sensitive to the media elsewhere in the world and updated them through press conferences held at suitable locations and times. Furthermore, the lack of media relations resulted in “…accusations of an Exxon cover-up” (Seitel, 2011, p.101). Exxon should have made the truth easily available to journalists. Exxon would have shown responsibility and avoided a negative reputation if they had been in contact with the media immediately after the oil spill and throughout the recovery
The company decided that the site of the oil spill would be the media headquarters. However, this decision was an issue because “Valdez was a remote Alaskan town with limited communications operations” (Seitel, 2011, p.101). Phone lines were frequently jammed and journalists had a difficult time reporting on the oil spill because of the restrictive communication barriers. As a result, it was speculated that Exxon was covering up information. The company should have been sensitive to the media elsewhere in the world and updated them through press conferences held at suitable locations and times. Furthermore, the lack of media relations resulted in “…accusations of an Exxon cover-up” (Seitel, 2011, p.101). Exxon should have made the truth easily available to journalists. Exxon would have shown responsibility and avoided a negative reputation if they had been in contact with the media immediately after the oil spill and throughout the recovery