Damage Control Monday
There are days in my line of work (saying line of work makes me sound like a prostitute or a drug dealer…it adds an element of scandal to my otherwise pristinely-white job) when things are best describe as mute. Or lacking the cels of life. Or autopilot.
Today was not one of those.
Today was one of high energy, stress, people running amuck, press releases written and press conferences held. Today was Damage Control Monday. That’s what happens in athletics when personnel changes, or scandal occurs (in America? *gasp* how dare you insinuate such a thing!), or a variety of other newsworthy, unexpected happenings. And that’s when my rather stodgy job becomes a live bomb.
What to say to the media? The media is like a pack of starved wolves, snapping at your feet, leaping up and reaching for a piece of meet, getting whatever they can take however they can take it. That’s the media. I may have been a member of the media at one point and technically I am a member of the media right now, but I certainly am not walking around with a rose-colored picture of what said institution is about.
Thankfully, in today’s case, I didn’t have to slave over a statement to the media. There are certain advantages to being low bowl on the totem pole and today that meant I only had to answer the phones.
“Damage Control Monday Media Relations, How may I control your damage today?”
