Friday, August 12, 2005

A bad joke

Ragan has seen fit to launch a blog on government communciations from a senior level unidentified source. Notice that it is a blog on government communciations, no where do they actually assert that is is written by a civil servant. The author is a senior level unidentified source. Senior level what? Ragan does not say. The author could be a senior level anything.

B.L. Ochman also has her doubts.

I am flattered to be quoted in his first post, even without attribution:

I have heard pr people say, “If you can’t say it on the record, you shouldn’t say it at all.” The reason they say this is because they confuse going off the record with leaking. …


I have lived in the greater Washington, DC area almost all my life and I am perfectly familiar with all the sophist distinctions-without-a-difference in this nasty game.

Going on background can legitimately accomplish at least two things. It can allow you to explain a complex situation in detail without having to worry that little bits and pieces of your explanation are going to end up in quotes—out of context—with your name attached, thereby making you look like an idiot.


Any reporter who is capable of twisting your words for the purpose of making you look like an idiot is quite capable of burning a source

Edit-
Shel Holtz comments. Shows a lot of class too.

Edit ii-
Colin McKay comments.

Steve Crescenzo explains the necessity for pseudonymous blogging.

Deep Background responds.

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