For Immediate Release
Thursday, November 13, 2008

Contact:
Ed Barks
(540) 955-0600
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Define “Off the Record,” Educate PR Practitioners on Its Use,
New Report Recommends

A newly released report from Barks Communications puts forth 10 best practice recommendations for reporters and public relations practitioners to follow regarding “off the record” media interviews.

The research examined attitudes of veteran journalists and public relations experts toward the use of off the record interviews. The resulting report, “Can We Talk Off the Record? Resolving Disagreements, Increasing Understanding Between Reporters and Public Relations Practitioners,” is designed to help achieve two goals: First, to help shed light and, to the extent possible, begin to resolve disagreements between and among journalists and public relations practitioners. Second, to increase understanding between those two professions.

Among the key recommendations, explains Barks Communications President Ed Barks, “Reporters and public relations practitioners alike need to develop a set of definitions for such techniques as off the record, on background, and not for attribution. The research found much confusion about the meaning of those terms.” The report provides suggested definitions.

“Further, those of us in the journalistic and PR communities must take it upon ourselves to distribute these definitions to our fellow reporters and public relations practitioners, and to the professional organizations to which they belong in an effort to achieve greater consistency and to minimize misunderstanding,” he urges.

Another recommendation he cited is the need to “keep media interviews on the record unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.”

Barks, whose communications consulting practice includes media training of corporate and association executives, says, “I launched this research because I heard too many times—in some cases from other media trainers—claims like ‘off the record is a lie.’ Some even go so far as to deny this time-tested technique’s very existence.”

“Those are bogus assertions, in my opinion,” he charged. “Consultants who argue against these techniques are ill-informed. Worse, they perform a disservice to their clients.”

The research also suggests that public relations practitioners who formerly served as reporters tend to view off the record as a more useful tool than their colleagues who lack a journalistic background. “What this means is these ex-reporters are in perfect position to guide their less skilled colleagues along the rules of the journalistic road.” Barks believes newsroom experience is “essential to anyone who practices public relations.”

“Can We Talk Off the Record? Resolving Disagreements, Increasing Understanding Between Reporters and Public Relations Practitioners,” is available for $9.95 from Barks Communications. The report’s executive summary is available for free at http://www.barkscomm.com/pdf/offtherecord.pdf.

Ed Barks works with corporate and association executives who need a magnetic message and sharp communications skills, and with public affairs and public relations experts who counsel their bosses and clients. The former radio broadcaster is the author of The Truth About Public Speaking: The Three Keys to Great Presentations. As President of Barks Communications since 1997, he has taught more than 3000 business leaders, association executives, government officials, athletes, entertainers, non-profit executives, and public relations staff how to succeed when they deal with the media, deliver presentations, and testify before government officials.