Movies pop culture as " The Insider ", books " as All the President Men " and television series including The West Wing " have " immortalized them.
" On-the-record ", " background ", " The depth " " and off-the - " record quotations are used regularly as a shorthand to represent the mysteries of journalism underworld.
In Actually, these words are not used frequently in all newsrooms, on the other hand, not & 39; Re particularly useful. Unless you are an informant or work on sensitive issues at the highest levels of government, it is almost always best to stay in the registry " ", meaning that everything you say can be published and attributed to Standard you.
As simple as this may seem basic, spokesmen regularly get coaxed into saying more than they intended. They may feel comfortable with a reporter, deciding to rely on the bad journalist, or the development of the mistaken belief that a member of the press has accepted their conditions. They often backfires, with the untimely interviewed in front of a dose of public contempt when history hits.
Here are three reasons they should (almost) always stay in place for registration:
1) Definitions Vary - Various news organizations - and within different reporters from news organizations - define terms such as " background " " and off-the-record " differently. A simple Internet search reveals the problem - some news organizations, off-the-record means the reporter can not even mention his interview his mother, and the other, it means that your comments can be printed anonymously with the corroboration of Another source something. Without shared agreement on what the terms mean even, according to an interview as something more than the record is a crapshoot.
2) Agreement Breeds Confusion - In 2002, Washington Post reporter interviewed Sally Squires Gary Taubes, an author he had written a controversial article in The New York Times Magazine difficult the traditional concept on the role of dietary fat in weight gain. Before agreeing to the interview, Taubes who have insisted that the final approval of his appointment before they are allowed to run - in other words, that his remarks were off-the-record until further notice. Mrs Squires agree - or so we thought - so he was shocked and embarrassed when his comments were printed too frank. Far from being unusual, the ambiguity of the agreements between the journalist and the source often leads to bad expectations.
3) " Official " Interviews Not Exist - Many of the interviewees think they are in the registry for the & ; quot; " official interview, but outside - Record before and after. In fact, everything said in the presence of a reporter is citable, including those delivered outside of the comments made in last night& 39;s dinner party.
In August 1984, for example, President Ronald Reagan famously backed into a microphone for a sound check just before In his weekly radio address. Joking with those who gathered around the room, Reagan joked " My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you that I have just signed legislation prohibiting Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes ".
Even although the comments were not broadcast live, the microphone was on the network news and two engravings. They almost immediately broadcast the comments, which is seen clearly newsworthy, in the midst of the cold War.
The incident provoked international outrage, with the government of West Germany pouncing on the comments of Reagan as a sign of their evil will.
White House Spokesman Larry Speakes claimed that the news organizations acted irresponsibly as any comment before the official radio address was " off-the-record ". However, given that the journalists did not agree to the condition that beforehand, he had every right to be air it.
To Sure, occasionally there is good reason to abandon the security of a control over the registration of the conversation. Cases of corruption or fraud, for example, can be leaked to a reporter in an attempt to hold public officials or executives responsible. But do yourself a favor. If it is clear from the rules or not familiar with the reporter, get a professional opinion before proceeding. It could save your " off-the-record " appearing in the comments tomorrow front page.
Brad Phillips is the founder and president of Phillips Media Relations (http://www.PhillipsMediaRelations.com). He was a journalist for ABC News and CNN, and also headed the department of media relations for the environmental group the second largest in the world. neil vangogh
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