I would be the last person to suggest that the media, of which I am a proud member, can or even should be “managed.” But the fact is that demands for information by journalists at a time of crisis (and even during routine periods) present a reputational exposure that risk managers can (and should) help their organizations more effectively prepare for. That was the central message delivered by a press panel I moderated today at the RIMS conference in San Diego.

I realize it is somewhat ironic for a bunch of editors to be lecturing anyone about handling reputational risks, given the lousy job the press has done maintaining its own good name in the face of challenges to the mainstream media's credibility and perceived bias (yes, even among the folks at Fox News, who mock the journalistic ideal of objectivity with its “fair and balanced” motto). But that discussion is for another day, and perhaps another future RIMS panel.

Whether or not you like or trust the press, organizations of all stripes–from the private sector, non-profits and, of course, government agencies–must come to grips with the reality that what is reported about them in print, over the airwaves and online has a huge impact on how they are perceived, especially during a crisis.