The following article appeared in the February 2009 issue of "Communication News," a publication of the American Society of Association Executives
Can we talk off the record?
by Ed Barks
What does it mean when a public relations practitioner and a reporter speak “off the record”? According to a recent report, all too often it means the interview may fall victim to a jumble of definitions and an environment ripe for confusion and finger pointing.
The report, “Can We Talk Off the Record? Resolving Disagreements, Increasing Understanding Between Reporters, and Public Relations Practitioners,” examines the attitudes of veteran journalists and PR experts toward this longstanding journalistic technique. The report is based on an online survey of veteran journalists and PR practitioners, interviews, and responses to the ASAE & The Center Communication Section listserv and journalism-related social networking groups.
Resolving Disagreements
Differences of opinion about when and how to go off the record exist even within the PR community and even among highly experienced practitioners. Indeed, the report uncovered a nearly even split.
One of the survey questions was “Some public relations counselors advise their spokespeople never to go off the record with reporters. Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint?” Among respondents, 51 percent disagreed, while 49 percent agreed.
On an anecdotal note, I have witnessed some media trainers go so far as to advise their clients that there is no such thing as off the record. This clearly flies in the face of both my survey’s findings and journalistic tradition. Whether your association’s communicators counsel your members and staff to use the technique or not is one thing. But to claim the practice does not exist paints a picture of an association that is out of touch.
Even those who rail against the practice sometimes find that pragmatism outweighs principle. In a finding from the report that speaks to the depth of their commitment, 49 percent of survey respondents say they oppose using off the record, yet 78 percent admit to employing it at some point.
What Does It Mean?
The confusion surrounding definitions raises a red flag for both journalists and communicators. When asked how they defined off the record, some respondents offered classic definitions of information that is “on background” or “not for attribution.”
Several of their more savvy colleagues, however, put forth clear and traditional statements of what off the record means in practice. Among the examples:
“Nothing can be used for the story, but info can be used for ‘directional’ help.”
“What you have told me does not appear in the story; however, the information you give me can be used to develop on-the-record sources for the information.”
Two clear outcomes of my research offer practices for wise association communicators to follow.
- Both journalists and public relations practitioners would both be well served by a consistent definition of off the record.
- Until that standard is reached, agreeing to ground rules in advance is critical.
As one respondent put it, “On background, not for attribution, and off the record mean different things to different people. In fact, there is so much confusion that I often don’t even use the terms, but rather just work out an agreement in clear language.”
An encouraging note: A full 88 percent of respondents reported that they do agree to ground rules before speaking off the record.
Former Reporters Bring a Valuable Viewpoint
One of the report’s most significant findings involves PR practitioners who once served as reporters. This group seems more attuned to tried-and-true techniques such as off the record than their peers who have never worked in a newsroom. This means that former journalists are poised to play an important role by helping to educate their less-knowledgeable colleagues.
This finding also raises a personnel issue for your association. PR practitioners who lack a journalistic background put both themselves and their organizations at an extreme disadvantage because they lack critical skills and insights. By the very nature of their work, PR practitioners need to know how reporters work and think. Savvy associations should take this into account during when hiring.
Where Do We Go From Here?
“Can We Talk Off the Record?” issues 10 bottom-line recommendations. The following are designed to help journalists and PR experts achieve the twin goals of resolving disagreement about the use of off the record and fostering common understanding.
- Keep media interviews on the record unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.
- Develop and adhere to recommended definitions of off the record and other journalistic techniques.
- Distribute those definitions to reporters, PR practitioners, and relevant professional organizations to achieve greater consistency and minimize misunderstanding.
- Educate PR practitioners, especially those with no media experience, on both the meaning and the value of conducting interviews off the record when beneficial.
- Enter into off the record arrangements only with trustworthy reporters and sources.
- Agree to ground rules before beginning an interview.
- Ensure that both parties explicitly agree to abide by the ground rules.
- Confirm that both parties are empowered by their organizations to enforce the confidentiality of off the record interviews.
- Negotiate ground rules before every interview, even if you're simply renewing the conversation after a short break.
- Refrain from using such canards as “there is no such thing as off the record” or “off the record is a lie.”
Again, a key to greater understanding revolves around broadly distributing these 10 recommendations to both journalists and PR professionals. The recommendations can guide both groups toward a deeper understanding and a lessening of disagreement.
Ed Barks works with corporate and association executives who want to improve their messaging and communication skills and with public affairs and public relations experts who counsel their bosses and clients. He is also the author of The Truth About Public Speaking: The Three Keys to Great Presentations and president of Barks Communications. Phone: 540-955-0600. Email: ebarks@barkscomm.com.
© Edward J. Barks 2009
For a free copy of the executive summary of the report "Can We Talk Off the Record? Resolving Disagreements, Increasing Understanding Between Reporters and Public Relations Practitioners," contact Ed Barks.
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