BarcelonaNew times, new crises. This Monday's blackout wasn't the first we'd experienced, but its widespread nature and, above all, the fact that it occurred in a fully digital age led to unprecedented situations that highlighted the dependence on mobile phones and, therefore, the fragility of having to shut down telephone masts. Obtaining information about what was happening, why, and when it would be resolved wasn't easy. ARA spoke with several experts in political and crisis communication to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of politicians when making the relevant explanations to the public.
For Josep Martí, Pedro Sánchez's appearance at six in the evening was "that of a man who didn't want to say anything; not because he didn't know, but because what he knows doesn't fit the government's narrative." This consultant and journalist's hypothesis is that a cyberattack can take time to resolve or identify its perpetrator, but its existence is evident from the first minute. "The appearance the following day further reinforces that feeling of having kept the narrative open, because a scenario of uncertainty was politically convenient. Throughout my career I have worked with many cynics and I know how a war room: : the only question is: "Does that help us or hurt us?"
The crisis made it clear that, beyond the radio, Twitter once again became –for those who managed to get a connection– one of the places to get information. "I missed the presence of some accounts on this network. You don't have to start using it to fall into the hands of a madman," explains Martí. The journalist also points out another shortcoming: the fact that the president of Red Eléctrica de España did not appear. "She earns 600,000 euros a year from a listed company. The seriousness of the events justified her presence. That said, an operational manager did appear and, at least, he was the only one who hinted at what is being confirmed today, Tuesday."
UOC communications professor Lluís Pastor believes that, after twenty-four hours of talking about the power outage, it's now time to talk about information policy.
The fact that loudspeakers were installed in front of RNE or SER shows that we are not equipped with an emergency channel," he believes.
The power generators of communication
Pastor draws an analogy with the healthcare sector. "If hospitals have generators, now it's time to imagine how to have an information channel for the general population in case of digital blackouts. Because these events will happen. People shouldn't rush out to find batteries for their transistor radios." Regarding the appearances of politicians, the professor regrets that he spent too long waiting for clear instructions. "In a situation like this, it's essential to know whether we're talking about six hours, six days, or six weeks. We should take what happened as a warning, until the big one comes. So we're starting to incorporate new channels and new broadcasters into crisis protocols that allow us to quickly understand what the crisis expectation is."
From Asturias, communications professor Alejandra Piñera agrees, pointing out that Pedro Sánchez's appearances were too late. However, she believes that the message adhered to the classic guidelines of crisis communication. "These were textbook statements. He followed step by step what we tell the students, that is, to use rational arguments instead of emotional ones, to thank those working on the front line to solve the problem but also the citizens, to uphold the country's brand... A skillful maneuver was to rename the crisis. Instead of talking aboutblackout, avoided the term in favor of electricity crisisIt was a way of trying to get away from hashtags that didn't suit him."
But Piñera believes that these "good interventions" came too late. "The manuals are outdated, because they were written when disinformation took much longer to arrive than it does now. That is to say, before it affected mostly the underground, but now it affects the mainstream immediately, in a few minutes. We must rewrite the manuals with this in mind."
Another of the consultants this newspaper has asked, Joan Francesc Cánovas, agrees with the delay. "What Sánchez said in the afternoon was correct, but there should have been two hours earlier. Something else, because it's not enough with the networks."
Review protocols
Aside from the timing, Cánovas concludes that some areas have held up well, such as the hospital system and air traffic, as well as petrochemical and nuclear infrastructure. "On the other hand, there are systems that are failing, such as the railway system. It's unacceptable that there are people trapped on a train for twelve hours. And the telecommunications system also failed. In some cases, it wasn't easy to call 911. As a society, we will have to review all these things that haven't worked."
Beyond what was said and when, was the tone appropriate? For Mariola Tàrrega, a professor of political communication at the UOC, Salvador Illa "didn't quite strike the right tone, because he communicated in a lack of empathy": "People had been suffering, and he didn't deviate from his usual tone, which could be perceived as lecturing. If you compare it with the interview he did this Tuesday with Teles: she brings out that touch of Madrid pride and, once she has the audience, then fires off a critique of Sánchez." The Spanish Prime Minister, in her opinion, did know how to "convey calm and a very organized message": "He played a lot with nonverbal language, letting his hands off, which made him more relatable. He, at his core, knows how to communicate well," she analyzes. "On the other hand, Alberto Núñez Feijóo's tone also failed him. His first appearance was serious and structured, but he ended up giving the far-right a run for his money, and it didn't quite work out. He was the one who had the hardest time because he had to try to communicate an opposition without falling into the conspiracy theories more typical of Vox," she learned.
Journalists protest against the government's communications policy
Around forty reporters from media outlets, including the country's leading newspapers, radio stations, and television stations, signed a letter of protest this Tuesday regarding how Salvador Illa's government has handled communications and, specifically, its relationship with reporters. "The emergency services had orders to refer the communication to the government, which limited itself to three brief appearances, most of them without the opportunity to ask questions," they write in the letter sent to the Directorate General of Communications and the Department of the Interior.
"The journalists covering the emergency found themselves without a fluid official information channel, given that our usual contacts in the emergency services had orders to forward the communication to the Government, which limited itself to three brief appearances, most of which left no room for questions," they explain, and demand real-time information.
