Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chief Spokesperson Eliot Brenner

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Social media for government regulators, web 2.0 for power plants, and potential compliance issues surrounding the use of new media by energy companies with US Nuclear Regulatory Commission chief spokesperson Eliot Brenner, a presented at the PRSA International Conference in DC.

Eliot Brenner has been director of public affairs at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

He began his career with 20 years in journalism, covering everything from sports to presidential campaigns and the first Gulf War for United Press International.

He subsequently became a speech writer for Dick Cheney in his final year as Defense Secretary, moving on from there to write speeches for two Clinton Administration Treasury Secretaries and then serving as Assistant Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for Public Affairs.

He has written and consulted for clients as diverse as the Nature Conservancy, Airbus, and the American Trucking Associations and directed Boeing’s award-winning public affairs program when it put explosives detection machines in more than 450 airports after September 11, 2001.

PODCAST SHOW NOTES

01:11 — The Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s mandate, how it operates, and Eliot Brenner’s work history before joining the NRC as director of communications in 2004.

02:41 — “To what extent is the Nuclear Regulatory Commission using social media tools to engage with Americans?” asks Richard Perry, host of the 10-minute PR Podcast via Twitter.

03:58 — “Given the sharp growth of social media, how is the Nuclear Regulatory Commission addressing oversight and compliance issues that may arise over these emerging media channels?” asks Steve Conroy, Corporate Communications Manager, Southern California Edison.

04:50 — The single biggest public affairs challenge facing the nuclear power industry.

05:52 — The single biggest misperception people have about the nuclear power industry.

07:27 — “What is the ideal working relationship between the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and plant Public Information Officers?” asks Gil Alexander, Senior Communications Project Manager at Southern California Edison.

08:50 — How does the Nuclear Regulatory Commission approach media statements by plant critics that are false and potentially alarming to the public?

11:25 — “What is the state of affairs surrounding the use of Yucca Mountain for the storage of spent nuclear fuel?” asks Scott Thomsen, Communications and Public Affairs at Seattle City Light.

14:18 — A discussion of an incident involving undercover agents tricking the NRC and obtained a license to buy radiological material.

17:58 — “What is the Nuclear Regulatory Commission doing to support the industry’s efforts in new nuclear construction?,” asks William Labbe, Director, Nuclear Generation Services, TRC Companies, Inc.

21:07 — Eliot Brenner will present a session at the PRSA International Conference in DC  on Monday, Oct. 18 titled “How to Build Trust in a Nuclear Environment” and a separate crisis communications session Sunday, Oct. 17 with Richard Levick at the PRSSA Conference.

23:31 — End

Photo by Ajay Pal Singh Atwal on Unsplash