Hi Colleague,

Happy New Year!

As we step into another new year asking ourselves "Where on earth did 2005 go?" we can also take time to wonder what challenges we'll face in 2006.

Surely one thing that springs to mind, which has already claimed a fair few column centimetres, is the threat of Asian bird flu. Is it the new Millennium Bug? Will industry grind to a halt? Will it bring the global economy to its knees? Or is it all hype?

After years of costly planning for the new millennium, with Y2K taskforces set up across the globe, we waited with baited breath only to find that as clocks ticked past the witching hour nothing happened! It is natural therefore that some feel sceptical about the latest global threat.

So should we be taking Asian bird flu seriously? Sound advice would be to apply the same principles as you would to any other risk - seek a well-informed opinion, identify the potential issues as they apply to your business and make a plan to manage each one should the need arise. Be realistic and don't wait until the risk becomes a crisis.

In this issue of PR Matters, the first one for 2006, you'll find an article on crisis management together with more news, views and issues from the world of communications - enjoy!

Jane Dodd
Editor

If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs...chances are you had the foresight to develop a crisis management plan.

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