It's probably gotten to the point where more than a couple of those ‘round here could find me in published articles. For that fact I think it best to describe my encounters with the media.[Err, decided I best leave this story out for some privacy :-), but:]
I didn’t learn my lesion though. We were out, and I was thinking we should do what most in our shoes can’t for legal or personal reasons, and keep speaking. I’d find a way to control it, right? :-) But there’s not been more than one or two media instances since that hasn’t either left me misquoted, or misattributed. Sure, they get a good deal right, but somehow the story is pushed out of reality and into a more sensational key.
Don’t get me wrong; I know and like some of the people in the press. I’d trust their accuracy. But in general they’re selling a product and, consciously or no, many in that business, in my experience, lean towards what sells. And I’ve had it go both ways: conservative press making me fanatically liberal and liberal press making me fanatically conservative.
In short, expect this if dealing with the media. Expect the most radical thing said to be phrased in the most radical way, in the most radical context (and then attributed to you :-)). That’s what you should be relieved to not see the next day, as that’s what’s significantly possible.
Anyway, if I didn’t type it, ask me about it before it’s attributed to me. More than once I’ve had to call friends and family to tell them the news wasn’t accurate. Heck, even some of what I do type I’d not claim ;-).
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Scot: Heck, even some of what I do type I’d not claim ;-).
Amen to that for myself! hee.
Lately if I want to get a laugh out of Master Fob, I'll look at him and intone: "Sometimes they struggle with intimacy" from that Fox 13 story. Makes me crack up every time. Sandy was very nice and we had a great time talking to her, but it was a little weird to see what they did with it on camera. Like the ominous music to back up our wedding photos. Weird. Overall we felt good about the experience and might do it again, but it's definitely good to remember that anything you say to them ends up in their hands do with however they please.
I thought about you all when I was recalling our experiences. I’m glad to hear yours haven’t been too bad.
Funny, we have our own little in-jokes about our press experiences too. Let’s just say there’s one news personality we’ll never hear from again and it’s all R’s fault :-).
I’m itching to just spill the beans now. Some of it really is very funny. We’ve had stuff made up out of thin air; I’ve been made to make mellow dramatic threats I never made but were pieced together from a couple calm unrelated comments.
I just don’t look at the paper the same way I used to :-).
My favorite reply to the media is
"No comment at this time"
"I can neither confirm or deny that question"
my personal motto - Plausable Deniablity
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