Why one should never give an interview

From: Jon Titus <jontitus_at_comcast.net>
Date: Mon Dec 1 18:32:05 2003

I sympathize with people who get misquoted and who find incorrect things
attributed to them or associated with them. If someone approached you about
an interview, as a condition for the interview, always insist on:
1. Reviewing direct quotes such as, Fred Smith says, "Computers made before
1981..."
2. Reviewing indirect quotes such as, According to Fred Smith, computers
made before 1981...
3. Any reference to you or your company, organization, etc.

If a writer or reporter won't give you the opportunity to review what he or
she intends to put into print, decline the interview request. If you go
ahead with an interview, insist on taping it for your protection.

If your company has a person in a marketing-communication or
public-relations role, insist they sit in on the interview to help protect
you from misquotes or misunderstood information.

Maybe a reporter from the NY Times or the Wall Street Journal won't let you
see a story before it goes into print. OK, don't talk with them. Recently,
the WSJ did a terrible job of relating information provided in an interview
by Warren Buffett, the investor. Buffett wrote to say the article missed
the point of his concerns, but the WSJ defended it's incorrect
interpretation of the information he provided. Several readers also wrote
about the awful job the WSJ reporter did. I trust journalists less and
less, and I trust TV journalists not at all.

Jon
 
Jon Titus
36 Sunset Drive
Milford, MA 01757-1362 USA
+1-508-478-8040
jontitus_at_comcast.net
Member: National Association of Science Writers
Received on Mon Dec 01 2003 - 18:32:05 GMT