Working with reporters without being naive means treating a reporter as a third party with their own incentives, agreeing the ground rules before sensitive statements and escalating any leaked material to counsel. Chapter 7 of For Immediate Release, "In G-D We Trust, Not the Media," sets out those rules of engagement. Every published quote now stays in the record that AI engines summarize.
Why is a reporter's incentive different from yours?
A reporter's incentive differs from a communications operator's because the reporter is paid for stories that editors want and audiences read, and the operator is paid to protect a client.
The two incentives sometimes align and sometimes do not. Assume they do not until a story proves otherwise. The reporter who wrote a favorable feature this quarter will write a critical investigation next quarter if the story is there, and an operator who mistook a friendly relationship for loyalty finds out when that story runs.
What should you do if a reporter has a leaked document?
If a reporter contacts you with a document you did not release, such as an internal memo, call legal counsel before you comment on its contents.
The reporter is giving you a chance to comment, establishing that the document exists and testing whether you will confirm it is authentic. A common approach is to neither confirm nor deny the document, to address the underlying issue without referring to it, and to ask counsel to establish how the document left the company. The reporter will often publish either way, so the goal is to make sure the published story carries your framing as well as the source's.
What does "off the record" actually mean?
"Off the record" means a reporter agrees not to publish what you say, and the term is one of three common ground rules whose exact meaning varies by outlet and reporter.
On the record means the reporter can quote you by name. On background usually means the reporter can use the information but not name you, often citing "a person familiar with the matter." Off the record usually means the reporter cannot publish the information unless a second source confirms it.
Agree the ground rule before each sensitive statement, not once for the whole conversation. Say it out loud: "This next point is on background." Confirm the reporter agrees before you continue.
Why do these rules matter for AI answers?
These rules matter for AI answers because a published quote becomes part of the record that engines summarize, long after the interview ends.
A carelessly framed comment can resurface in a summary of the company years later. The 2017 to 2019 archive covers crises such as United Airlines' 2017 passenger removal and Uber's 2017 leadership turmoil. Read the early executive statements in each, then check which of them current coverage still quotes.
What should operators do to stay disciplined?
Operators stay disciplined by following five habits in every press interaction.
- Treat each reporter interaction as professional business, not friendship.
- Name the ground rule before every sensitive statement.
- Call counsel within the hour when a reporter holds unauthorized material.
- Do not speculate about the contents of a document you have not seen.
- Keep an internal log of each call, so the company has its own account when the story runs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the central argument of Chapter 7?
Chapter 7 argues that reporters are a third party with their own incentives, and that clear rules of engagement protect a brand from the lasting cost of unstructured interviews.
What is the difference between on the record, on background and off the record?
On the record allows quoting by name. On background allows use of the information without naming the source. Off the record usually bars publication without a second source. Agree the meaning with the reporter in advance.
Where does Chapter 7 fit in the book?
Chapter 7 is the seventh of ten chapters. The For Immediate Release book hub lists all ten. It also supports the Crisis Communications pillar.
Previous: Part 6: Getting Out in Front. Next: Part 8: Life Happens, Manage Crises Immediately.
Last updated October 8, 2026.