One of a publicist’s worst nightmares is having our clients misrepresented in any way, shape, or form after communicating with a trusted journalist.
Unfortunately, as extremely rare as it is, it does happen, and it’s not fun for anyone to have to navigate it for many easily avoidable reasons.
In PR, we are always expected to bring our A-game, and, as such, we expect the same of journalists.
Retractions Frequency
When either a journalist with limited experience and/or a lack of attention to detail makes an error that’s not just factually incorrect, it’s a person’s reputation at stake. One would think a journalist would be so concerned with their own reputation that they would never take liberties with a source, but in my experience, it has happened once.
That said, one time is a million times too many in PR for a client to be improperly cited as a source by a trusted journalist.
How to Navigate
The first thing to do if this happens to you is to hop on the phone quickly.
If you have access to the journalist’s professional phone contact information, clearly state the issue, the corrections needed, and why they are factually inaccurate.
Not one publicist on this green earth wants to make that call, but we absolutely will. I did, concerning a journalist at a Top-Tier 1 publication. I will not reveal who, as I should hope this journalist evolves professionally after this grave error in judgment on their part.
It feels absolutely gross having to manage the work of a journalist that you, as a publicist, have placed your faith in to report the facts about your client.
If you don’t have access to a phone number, my next suggestion is to send an email. Before emailing the journalist in question, locate their editor’s contact email and cc them as well. Mark the email as:
“TIME SENSITIVE: CORRECTION REQUEST”
And yes, use all caps in the email subject line, followed by the article’s headline. Then, in the email body, clearly state the issue, what corrections are needed, why they are factually inaccurate, and cite the URL.
Also, take it a step further in the email by stating that you are requesting that all platforms where this incorrectly reported article was syndicated be updated as well. Because we all know how the Internet functions, information does not solely live on the media publication’s article link alone; news media articles are syndicated to larger platforms, and especially now with MSN, AOL, and YAHOO! in particular, we often see these articles get further distribution because media publications have worked out distribution deals with these digital properties to compete with their own media publication competitors for expanded visibility. It doesn’t stop there; social media platforms, etc.
So you can see, it’s a very big fucking problem that could and should be avoided by simply paying attention to the facts.
It’s not at all what we like to see as publicists, when a journalist does not clarify details and takes factually incorrect liberties with our client’s reputation, because our job as publicists is to ensure that never occurs.
Never.
Still, when I place my faith in a journalist, as a publicist, I am always taking a calculated risk.
In my entire career, this has happened once.
That said, I have had this journalist cite my client once before and thought I could depend on them, but I learned they are not a journalist I can or will trust in the future.
I will never correspond with this journalist again. Never.
What we all know to be true is that experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want. Having a journalist misframe my client is an experience that has taught me that, while many journalists have words for PR professionals and rightfully so, it does happen on the other side as well.
When that goes down, the true character of journalistic integrity or a lack thereof will be on display.
Simply put, journalists do not expect to be anything other than held professionally accountable when this occurs, as your work should be held to the same ethical standard to which I and all those I represent hold ourselves.
As public relations professionals, we are expected to bring our A-game and align only with journalists who share that same high level of professionalism.
Fact-checking people. The effort you, as a journalist, put into reporting the facts is how you will be remembered by us publicists, by our clients, and by your own audience. That’s your own reputation; don’t fuck it up.
ABOUT DYLAN THOMAS COTTER:
Rebel with a cause, driven by authenticity, self-expression, and liberation for all.
Dylan Thomas Cotter is a strategist, public relations leader, and brand communications executive with more than fifteen years of experience at the intersection of entertainment, media, and technology.
Cotter is known for securing numerous Tier 1 (top-tier) and Tier 2 media placements across key markets including but not limited to GQ, Rolling Stone, Out Magazine, The Advocate, Pride, Inked Magazine, Real Simple, VICE, KTLA, Reader’s Digest, Mashable, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Life UK, Newsweek, Men’s Health, Parade Magazine, Betches, U.S. News & World Report, Women’s Health Magazine, NursingColleges.com, Women.com, South China Morning Post, Truthout, MIC, The Manual, Curl Magazine, International Business Times UK, TechRound, GB News, The Irish Star US, The Mirror, MSNand AOL.
Cotter is an advisor to founders, artists, and executives on brand positioning, reputation, corporate social responsibility, and strategic communications. As an openly gay transgender professional, Dylan Thomas Cotter is committed to fostering inclusive, respectful, and affirming work environments.
His latest book, THINK LIKE A TRANSGENDER THOUGHT LEADER, is out now, and his memoir, TRANSGENDER & TRIGGERING THE LIFE OF DYLAN THOMAS COTTER, is available now at Barnes & Noble, Harvard Book Store, Book Soup, and Skylight Books, amongst other fine retailers, and is distributed worldwide through IngramSpark.