How Journalism Works

Most people just don't get how journalism works. Even people in the business world who you would expect to be somewhat savvy -- especially businesspeople, as a matter of fact -- don't understand the role of the reporter and her sources.

I was at an event this morning at which members of the audience were supposed to submit questions for the panel of experts on index cards that were sitting in the middle of our banquet tables. I had a question that was relevant to a story I was turning in today and I thought my fellow audience members might be interested in the panelists' responses, so I wrote it down and handed my card off to the volunteer that was collecting the questions.

After the event, one of the men sitting at my table asked me if I'd gotten a lot of good quotes for my article and I told him that the moderator didn't ask my question. My tablemate's reponse? "I don't think reporters should be able to ask questions at these events." Huh?

Asking questions is part of my job description. I ask people questions, write down the answers, then compile them in a news article. That's how reporting works, but that doesn't stop people from wanting to filter how much of the news ends up in the newspaper even when it comes to comments made in public forums.

Believe it or not, I try to be cognizant of how sensitive people and companies are about the message they're putting out due to the fragile state of the economy. But if you don't want something you say to show up in print, then you shouldn't be speaking at meetings with hundreds of people present, including a couple of newspaper reporters.

And if you're organizing a meeting at which speakers on a panel in front of hundreds of people don't want to be quoted, then don't invite the media. I've been to a few events in the past year or so since the economy really went into the toilet where a representative of the trade association that allowed me to register for the conference stopped me from entering a panel discussion, because someone on the panel didn't want to be quoted.

One organization got it right a few months ago. They called me before I could register for their annual event and let me know that even though they've invited me in the past, they had speakers scheduled for the conference who didn't want to be quoted, so I wouldn't be able to attend this year. "No problem," I think I said. "Thanks for letting me know ahead of time."

Every now and then, I interview someone who asks at the end of the conversation, "Can I read this before you publish it?" or even better, "You're not going to quote me, right?"

My advice to people who are concerned about how they'll sound in print? If you don't trust yourself to speak intelligently and/or you don't trust a reporter to understand and report what you're saying accurately, then don't do the interview. Believe me, you'll be saving yourself and the reporter -- who probably is a pretty nice and reasonable person -- a lot of trouble.