Counter-Narrative Rapid Response
When they attack your community in the media, you have hours to respond, not days.
Pressure addressed: psychological, cultural
Time: Response within hours of attack
People: Media team, spokespeople, social media coordinators
Resources: Pre-drafted materials, trained spokespeople, media contacts, social media capacity
About this tool
The hit piece drops. The politician makes the speech. The viral post spreads. By the time you craft a thoughtful response, the narrative is set. The lie has traveled halfway around the world while the truth is still putting its shoes on.
How to do it
Anticipate attacks
What narratives will they use? What events might trigger attacks? Pre-draft responses to predictable hits.
Build media contacts
Journalists who will call you for comment. Relationships built before you need them.
Train spokespeople
Who can go on camera or radio with 2 hours notice? Media training before the crisis.
Prepare social media
Accounts active, following built, graphics ready to adapt. Infrastructure in place.
Create activation protocol
Who decides to respond? How fast can you mobilise? Clear process that doesn't wait for committee meetings.
Before you start
- Media contacts
- Trained spokespeople
- Social media capacity
Implementation guidance
Starting point
- Response capability within 2-4 hours
- Pre-drafted materials for predictable attacks
- Trained spokespeople available on short notice
- Media contacts who take your calls
- Social media capacity for rapid amplification
- Clear activation protocol that works
Building on it
- Response within 24 hours
- Some pre-drafted materials
- At least one trained spokesperson
Advanced practice
- Response takes days
- No prepared materials
- Spokespeople untrained and ineffective
Slow response means the other side sets the narrative before you even enter the conversation. Unprepared spokespeople can make things worse, bad interviews become ammunition for opponents. Response without preparation is often worse than silence.
Examples
Various advocacy organisations
Rapid response systems countering media attacks
Stories contested within hours rather than days, alternative framing entering coverage