3 mars 2011 - BAHRAIN: BP does extra comms work for government during protests

Description:

In Bahrain, Bell Pottinger begins to take on extra responsibility handling media centre enquiries about the protests, reported PR Week.

Lord Bell said at the time: “We work for the Economic Development board. Whatever happens, the economy has got to grow. We're nothing to do with the constitution, we're nothing to do with Sunnis and Shiites.”

He also said: “'We don't create the messages. We don't create the policies. We communicate them.”

The Independent reported the “extra duties” included sending out regular emails to journalists to promote the government’s stance during the protests.

An international media centre was also set up that February at the Information Affairs Authority in Bahrain “to help journalists cover the protests within the country”. The facilities included “access to interview areas, journalist work stations with high speed wireless internet access, digital storage and a press conference room, to be attended by members of the government and official spokesmen”.