When It Hits the Fan

Nuns on the Run


Listen Later

It's not easy winning a PR fight when you're up against three octogenarian nuns whose story has become a global smash.

This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis look at the case of Sister Bernadette, Sister Regina and Sister Rita. They ran away from the care home they'd been sent to and broke back into the Austrian convent where they'd lived for more than 60 years. In the process, they've gained huge support on social media.

Now, they've been told they can stay at the convent - so long as they stop posting online. The nuns and their hundreds of thousands of followers aren't happy.

David and Simon explain why harnessing authentic, joyful, grassroots support is the PR holy grail - and why it's almost impossible to counter. It almost doesn't matter what the Church authorities say or do. The facts are no longer important if people have already decided who is in the right and wrong.

On the extended edition on BBC Sounds, there's the distinct whiff of crisis at Campbell's. Its CEO has had to go on the record to insist the chicken used in its soups is "not made with a 3D printer". This follows a secret recording of a senior member of staff, who seemingly said the opposite during a long rant about the company.

The claim is clearly nonsense so David and Simon look at whether Campbell's reaction is proportionate - or whether we now live in a world where a company has to respond, no matter how ludicrous a claim seems.

Keeping your customers happy is of course vital in any business. Which brings us to Turkish Airlines. It's facing accusations of poor treatment after the former BBC correspondent, Mark Mardell, was told he wasn't allowed to board a flight because of his Parkinson's. David and Simon examine the response - or lack of - from Turkish Airlines and explain why getting ahead of a PR problem is absolutely crucial.

Producer: Duncan Middleton

Editor: Sarah Teasdale
Executive Producer: Eve Streeter
Music by Eclectic Sounds
A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

When It Hits the FanBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4
  • 4

4

24 ratings


More shows like When It Hits the Fan

View all
More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

889 Listeners

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast by Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

349 Listeners

The Media Show by BBC Radio 4

The Media Show

34 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

82 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

109 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

619 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

718 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

2,943 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

983 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

784 Listeners

The News Agents - USA by Global

The News Agents - USA

374 Listeners

The Rest Is Entertainment by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Entertainment

846 Listeners

Political Currency by Persephonica

Political Currency

122 Listeners

Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4

Radical with Amol Rajan

54 Listeners

Strong Message Here by BBC Radio 4

Strong Message Here

62 Listeners