PIA's Besesparis Discusses How the Media Covers Insurance in PR Week Magazine

There are regular disasters and extraordinary catastrophes, and the media cover both differently. That point was made by PIA National Vice President of Communications Ted Besesparis in an article that appeared in PR Week, a national publication for PR professionals. Besesparis was interviewed for the article along with Robert Hartwig, chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute; Tom McCoy, editor-in-chief of Rough Notes; and Mechell Clark, media relations manager with Aflac Insurance.

"Most disasters tend to play out over a shorter period of time, so you usually quickly see focused stories dealing with how to prepare for the next crisis," says Besesparis. "In a situation like Katrina, your second- and third-day stories have become second- and third-week stories because most reporters were dealing with the immediate situation for a lot longer."

Crises Spotlight Insurance Issues (PR Week 9/23/05)