On the record or off the record? How much should you say in an interview?

Communication World, March, 1995 by John M. Knox

In their book, "Groping for Ethics in Journalism," Gene Goodwin and Ron F. Smith quote writer Janet Malcolm as saying, "Every journalist who is not too stupid or too full of himself to notice what is going on knows that what he does is morally indefensible. He is a kind of confidence man, preying on people's vanity, ignorance, or loneliness, gaining their trust and betraying them without remorse."

Malcolm's quote "triggered what Columbia Journalism Review called more newsroom and cocktail-party debate, more belligerent editorializing and more honest soul-searching than almost any other article on journalism ever had," write Goodwin and Smith.

Whether it was ethical or unethical, what Chung did is one of the "tricks of the trade" practiced by many journalists. And what Burros and the Times did was follow journalistic conventions.

What's it all mean?

So what can we make of such uproars?

The primary lesson for the inexperienced interview subject is to determine clear ground rules before an interview, then to have a healthy skepticism and be wary. Beyond that, here are five rules to follow regarding news interviews:

Rule number one:

There are no rules

Before any reputable media coach sends a neophyte spokesperson before a print or broadcast journalist, the coach probably says something like, "Assume the camera or microphone is on. And never say anything you don't want repeated on the air or in print because anything you say can and may be used."

One of the most famous stories in public relations lore involves a supposed "background" meeting that had been arranged between executives from a large corporation and editorial representatives from The New York Times. The expectation among the corporate professionals was that none of the remarks made that day would ever be published. Imagine the reaction several months later when some of the executives' comments were included in an unflattering story about their company. When a company representative called a Times editor to hotly remind him that they had agreed that everything said would be "off the record," the editor delivered a classic public relations maxim: "There is no such thing as off the record' when a reporter for The New York Times is present."

Rule number two:

Assess the climate of the Interview

In the Gingrich case, we're talking about the most powerful Republican in the U.S. There is controversy involved. It's clear that the climate of the interview is steeped in potential controversy. A slight gaffe by one of Speaker Gingrich's parents is bound to be pounced upon by the reporter - and other reporters following the story - to open the door wide for a chance to pique the public's interest.

Rule number three:

You control the interview

You are responsible for what is said, and not said, during the interview. You really can control the interview, even though the reporter will often lead you to make comments based on the angle that he or she is taking. Remember that a reporter works for a news organization and it is the business of that organization to arouse the interest of its audience. The reporter is interviewing you because he or she wants to develop a good story. A reporter is responsible for being accurate - not fair - accurate. He or she has nothing to gain by damaging you, nor does he or she have any interest in flattering you or favoring you. The reporter's job is to create a good story. So you have to be responsible for what is said, and not said, during an interview.