Two sides to every story

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The tragic bike accident that’s dominating the news in Toronto these days happened just a few blocks from our offices. A very unfortunate event where tempers flared resulting in the death of the biker. Humanity at its worst. But in a city where bike incidents happen often, why is this story still front page news days after? For two reasons: the animosity between Toronto drivers and bikers has reached a boiling-over point resulting in protests taking over Avenue and Bloor Streets – but even more shocking is that the driver was former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant.
Posted by Cathy-Anne O’Brien

What are we to take away from this? When the news first broke and both driver and biker were anonymous there was an assumption in the media coverage and by the public that the driver was to blame. And this may still be the case. But new details are emerging daily since that fateful night, shedding light on the behaviour of both driver and biker and demonstrating what we all intuitively know but often fail to remember: there are two sides to every story.

As public relations professionals who work hard to build positive images for companies or often end up defending the reputation of clients when they get into trouble, prejudices are a reality of the world in which we work. Regardless of how innovative a company is or its dedication to corporate social responsibility programs, people often make snap judgements and these opinions, which, admittedly, sometimes prove to be accurate, are often difficult to change.

So how can we ensure our side of the story is told? We can’t always see how a story will evolve or what facts will emerge that will change the public’s perception, but what we can do is stop the rumour mill by listening to what is being said and communicating the facts. And if the facts aren’t yet known, then say so, but don’t stay silent. Sometimes we can’t win them all and some situations are simply out of your hands no matter what you say. When this occurs, rest assured that another front page media story will come along soon and you can get back to proactively building the corporate reputation that will help fend off, or at least help you bounce back more quickly, from negativity.

As for the deceased biker who can no longer defend himself, let’s reflect on the tragedy of the situation and how we can avoid such an unfortunate event in the future; and as for Michael Bryant, let’s not pass judgement too soon.

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