Chernobyl was my Big Story: it was my life for a while. But it must fascinate any PR. It has it all: crisis communication, reputation management, single-issue campaigners and misleading media reporting.
To satisfy that interest, over the next few months (the 25th anniversary of the disaster is on April 26) I shall share what I’ve learned from my time at Chernobyl and the rest of my 20 years as a PR putting the record straight. There’s much to say. Not only will Chernobyl NPP and its exclusion zones become major tourist attractions this year, the industry is set for a modest global recovery. But I’ll come back to all that. Meanwhile, here’s some pictures highlighting Chernobyl’s iconic status taken (by Richard D North) on a trip I organised in 2006:
![Birth_defect_exhibit Supposed Birth Defect: Chernobyl Museum, Kiev](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Birth_defect_exhibit.jpg)
A birth defect attributed to Chernobyl (perhaps wrongly): Chernobyl Museum, Kiev
![Farm_horse-nature](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Farm_horse-nature.jpg)
Farm horse in Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone
![Chernobyl_town___house](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Chernobyl_town___house1.jpg)
Chernobyl village abandoned house
![slavhospital Slavutych Hospital: in new town built after the disaster](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/slavhospital.jpg)
Slavutych Hospital: in the new town built after the disaster
![Birth_defect_exhibit__2_ Supposed Birth Defect: Chernobyl Museum, Kiev](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Birth_defect_exhibit__2_.jpg)
A birth defect attributed to Chernobyl (perhaps wrongly): Chernobyl Museum, Kiev
![Pripyat_housing Pripyat: the abandoned City that once housed 30 000](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pripyat_housing.jpg)
Pripyat: the abandoned City that once housed 30 000
![Farming_people](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Farming_people.jpg)
Refuseniks Farming illegally in Chernobyl's Exclusion Zone
![River_at_Chernobyl](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/River_at_Chernobyl.jpg)
Chernobyl Exclusion Zone river...
![chernobyl](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/chernobyl.jpg)
Chernobyl Reactor 4 after it blew its top (this is not by RDN)
![Unit_5](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Unit_5.jpg)
The half-completed Unit 5: frozen as was in 1986
![ChNPP_works_canteen](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/ChNPP_works_canteen.jpg)
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station Canteen, 2006
![Model_of_exploded_Unit_4](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Model_of_exploded_Unit_4.jpg)
Model of Inside of Exploded Reactor 4
![Farmhouse Abandoned Exclusion Zone House](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Farmhouse.jpg)
Abandoned Exclusion Zone house
![Gramotkin](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Gramotkin.jpg)
Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Manager, Mr. Gramotkin, 2006
![The_Sarcophagus The Sarcophagus, 2006](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The_Sarcophagus.jpg)
The Sarcophagus, 2006
![CHNPP_undamaged_reactor](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CHNPP_undamaged_reactor.jpg)
Chernobyl NPP Undamaged Reactor, 2006
![Shop_at_Chernobyl Shop at Chernobyl Village serving liquidators and refuseniks](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Shop_at_Chernobyl.jpg)
Shop at Chernobyl Village serving liquidators and refuseniks
![CHNPP_interior](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CHNPP_interior.jpg)
Inside Chernobyl NPP, 2006
![CHNPP_office_interior_2](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CHNPP_office_interior_2.jpg)
Chernobyl Office Interior, 2006
![Fire_fighting_exhibit Fire fighting exhibit Chernobyl Museum Kiev](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Fire_fighting_exhibit.jpg)
Fire fighting exhibit Chernobyl Museum Kiev
![slahousing Slavutych: where Chernobyl's staff live today](https://paulseaman.eu/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/slahousing.jpg)
Slavutych: where Chernobyl's staff live today
I’ve found your postings useful prior to my trip to the Ukraine this year. I am a contemporary art and reportage photographer. I am returning to the Ukraine this year and particularly interested in developing work in Slavutych. If you don’t mind I would like to pick your brains.
You can see the first postings of my work from Pripyat in my blog, so that it gives you and idea of the type of work I do.
Thanks
http://smithjan.com/blog/2011/02/02/chernobyl-25-years-revisited-wanderings-in-pripyat/