I can tell you what I asked
As part of the Edelman New Media Academic Summit 2009, professors were treated to a private Newseum tour and dinner. The after dinner speaker was NBC News Washington Bureau Chief Mark Whitaker -- named to the post last July following the death of Tim Russert. Whitaker is also senior vice president.
Mark Whitaker at the NewseumAt least some of us, even the public relations professors in the audience, were more than a little shocked when it was announced that the session would be "off the record." Those of us who are former journalists remember "off the record" to be something based upon a specific agreement between a reporter and a source. But this was Washington, D.C., and Beltway rules apply in a variety of settings.
So, while I will not report Whitaker's answer to this reporter's question, the probe was about the post-June 12 relationship betweeen network news and affiliated stations -- some are paying more attention now to their Web channels than the new digital broadcast channels.
Colleagues told me this was a timely question in light of the end of analog television this week. So, how can top news executives expect sources to stay on the record when they are not prepared to have their comments meet the light of day?
Colleagues told me this was a timely question in light of the end of analog television this week. So, how can top news executives expect sources to stay on the record when they are not prepared to have their comments meet the light of day?
3 comments:
Agreed Jeremy, I was shocked to hear the "off the record" request from a media organization. Hope that's not a "beltway" trend that we see more of outside.
Great Q! And I'm very interested to learn more about your stop at the Newseum - I've wanted to visit it since I saw them post all the newspapers front pages on their website 7 or 8 years ago. But, the question is, can you tell me about it? :-)
I, too, was quite surprised by the announcement that the session was "off the record." I mentioned this to my husband, and he suggested that we'd been "twittergagged." Thanks so much for your thoughtful questions at NMAS.
Barbara Nixon
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