A Student Journalist's Perspective on "No Comment"

Published in The Baylor Lariat (Nov. 29, 2006)

No comment makes for poor public relations, group image

Nov. 30, 2006

By LAURA KLINGSPORN

"I would really prefer not to talk about that." Click.

I hear this a lot where I work. As a Lariat reporter, my job is to call people involved in something newsworthy and get them to talk to me about it.

As the greek life beat reporter, I can't rely on press releases and event promoters to get my job done.

Fraternity guys are notoriously skittish when it comes to talking to the press.

Most people think the answer to their apprehension surrounding the press is to refuse to comment.

However nice they may be in refusing or how many referrals they give, it actually serves the opposite purpose.

Many think refusing to comment will keep the article from running. Not true. The editor makes the final decision on stories.

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