By Malcolm Cole, SAS Group Director of Media and Communications
Welcome to the age of outrage.
The media storm that followed West Indian cricketer Chris Gayle's now infamous interview has raged for a week.
Chris Gayle faced the media at Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport. Photo: Josh Robenstone
So vicious has been the media reaction (over-reaction) that Gayle now holds a position of some sympathy among many Australians – arguably a majority.
That's not to endorse Gayle's tasteless antics, nor to forgive his half-hearted apology at a follow-up media conference. But it is a genuine measure of the growing public disdain for media outrage.
In the hands of a clever media manager (and we have several here at the SAS Group), this public sentiment against over-reporting can be parlayed into a position of sympathy and even support for a person at the centre of a media storm.
Of course, it's far better to avoid the controversy in the first place, which we can also help you do with our tailored media training packages.
Contact us for more information about how we can help you to weather the storm, or preferably avoid it in the first place.