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Publicist Chris Thomas visits Iowa State

By Lori Runkle
Greenlee Web Team

Publicist Chris Thomas talks to Assistant Professor David Bulla's History of American Journalism class Feb. 17, emphasizing the importance of ethical journalism and public relations tactics. Photo by Jessica Strieper, Greenlee Web Team.

The publicist for the Elizabeth Smart family discussed the techniques he used when dealing with the media during the nine-month search and eventual rescue of the Salt Lake teenager.

Chris Thomas, who spoke in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union on Feb. 17, said the American media usually cover about five “infotainment-reality” stories each year, and he classified the Smart abduction as this type of news story.

Although Thomas initially thought Elizabeth would be found within a week after being abducted from her bedroom in June 2002, in reality, Thomas took an 11-month sabbatical from his public relations firm in Salt Lake City, The Intrepid Group, to work as the Smart family publicist.

Elizabeth was found outside of Salt Lake City in March 2003. Drifters Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, have been charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and burglary in connection with Elizabeth's abduction.

Thomas defined infotainment-reality media coverage as “reality television that trumps reality television.”

He gave the example of O.J. Simpson’s trial coverage and explained infotainment-reality coverage is an opportunity for television networks to make a lot of money, but often at the expense of innocent people.

In infotainment-reality media situations like the Smart abduction case, Thomas stressed the importance of 10 crisis communication strategies.

Thomas used the strategies to protect members of the Smart family from reporters who wanted to camp on the family’s front lawn and sensationalize the abduction.

“You have to trust your gut in crisis communication and decide who you can and cannot trust in the media.”

One of the first things Thomas did in the Smart case was develop a mission statement for the media campaign and organize Elizabeth’s immediate and extended family into a team.

The members of the Smart team decided how decisions would be made and then established ground rules for dealing with the media. These rules included no interviews inside the family home and no interviews with Elizabeth’s sister, Mary Katherine, who had been present during Elizabeth’s abduction.

"You have to trust your gut in crisis communication and decide who you can and cannot trust in the media,” he said. “It’s important to cooperate with the media, but also to tell reporters, ‘Here are the rules.’”

Thomas’ crisis communication strategies included being consistent in press briefings and when delivering information and finding a convenient location for the campaign’s media headquarters far enough away from the Smart home to ensure the family’s privacy.

Furthermore, he said, “Treat media equally. Never give breaking news as an exclusive. Maintain a business relationship with the media, and don’t burn bridges.”

As the Smart family’s senior publicist, Thomas said his focus was always on finding Elizabeth.

This meant preparing members of the Smart family for every interview by role-playing and calling trusted media sources to find out what types of questions reporters might ask that day.

Thomas said he would develop and execute a daily media plan with input from the family and prepare family members to respond to breaking-news coverage as quickly as possible.

In December 2002, the Smart family did not know if she was dead or alive.

At that time, Thomas developed a resolution plan for every possible outcome. It was a plan that discussed “every possible scenario that could happen if Elizabeth was found dead or alive and responses to each scenario.”

If Elizabeth had been found dead, Thomas did not want the Smart family to learn about the discovery of her body on television.

On March 12, 2003, “45 minutes before the news broke, all of the family and extended family knew that she had been found,” Thomas said.

"As communication professionals, we often help companies get rich or move their careers forward,” Thomas said in his closing remarks, but “the skills we have are unbelievably valuable for families in need.”

Thomas admitted his public relations firm lost money when he worked on the Elizabeth Smart case, but taking an active role in finding Elizabeth was personally and professionally rewarding for him.

Thomas urged students to use their communication skills and training in their local communities to help families, like the Smart family, who are in real need. Photo by Lori Runkle, Greenlee Web Team.

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Last updated: February 22, 2005
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