No comment
We've all heard people say it: "no comment." They say it when they walk out of the courtroom and run past all of those reporters: "no comment." They say it at the end, or the middle, of a news conference, when the president doesn't want to answer a particularly sensitive question: "no comment." They say it when a scandal has occurred within their company, and they're afraid to give away too much information: "no comment."
So let's say that a scandal has hit your company. Maybe some misinformation has been let out. Maybe a study went wrong. Maybe you had to recall a product. The point is, there's sensitive information out there and the story that the journalists write can go either way. Should you say "no comment"? Most of the time it's not appropriate to refuse to comment. Not commenting will give the news media the impression that you are hiding information. There's no better way to make yourself look guilty or inappropriately involved than saying "no comment". Saying no comment also makes you look like you don't want to cooperate with the media. And if you're considered to be uncooperative by the media, then you're in big trouble. To a large extent, the media is in charge of your image. And if they decide that they don't like you, then you're going to have to fight hard to get that corporate image back where you want it.
So if a reporter or a journalist calls you, you need to consider the following questions when deciding if you want to comment or not.
1. What's the subject of the story?
2. Ask about the angle. This is how you can find out precisely how the reporter or journalist feels about the study. Then you know if they're for or against you.
3. Ask how much the reporter knows. If they don't know much, then you can give them a lesson, and skew the information your way.
4. Ask when the deadline is.
5. Find out who your interviewer will be. If it's not that particular reporter, then you need to talk to who ever you're going to be talking to during the interview.
6. Ask who else has been interviewed. If you find out that all of the other interviewees have been your competitors, then you need to decide upon a strategy from there.
7. Ask for a list of questions or topics. This is a typical procedure. You need to know what you're up against. Don't be caught hanging, or having to make a split-second decision about whether or not you should comment.
Maybe the interview doesn't involve you. If that's the case, don't drag yourself and your corporation or organization into the whole mess. Just don't comment. If the story does involve your company, then this might be your chance to set the story straight. In that case, make sure that you go to the interview well prepared.
Preparation can include coming with background information, which means statistics, figures, graphs, and images. Preparation also includes knowing precisely what you want to say and what information you want to refute. Have points that you stick to and that you drive home forcefully. Preparation also includes putting together information to give to the reporter. Having this information readily available shows the reporter that you are accessible and that you want to cooperate. It will also give the reporter a chance to see what the figures and the records really are. Make sure that you take your media kit along with you. And at the end, make sure that you ask the reporter to read back to you all of your quotes, so that you can make sure that you don't end up reading something that you didn't say on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper.
Here are some more tips on crisis communication and when you should, or shouldn't, say "no comment."
Damage Control Tips
http://101publicrelations.com/sr1.html?s=prideas&c=damage_control
When to say "no comment"
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/when_to_say_no_comment_000036.html
Letters to the Editor
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/use_letters_to_the_editor_to_gain_publicity_000037.html
Blogging as Crisis Control
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/4_ways_blogging_can_help_communication_within_your_000059.html
Online Criticism
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/how_to_deal_with_people_who_post_complaints_about_1_000028.html
How to Act with Reporters
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/how_to_react_when_reporters_call_000015.html
