‘Quote Approval’ Policy Turns Press from Watchdog to Lapdog
Fri, 07/27/2012 - 5:50am (new)
Posted by Mike Lange
I first heard about this controversy on the Poynter Institute website, and I was surprised that prestigious publications would even admit to such a policy. There is nothing wrong with calling an interview subject up and clarifying something in a story, but allowing them to have veto power over a quote is simply wrong. I've never ran into it during my lengthy career in the newspaper business and certainly don't think it's common practice in Maine.
One public official I knew pretty well routinely made some off-the-wall remarks at selectmen's meetings, and joked "Now, don't you quote me on that." I always responded: "Anything you say in a public forum is fair game." After awhile, he was smart enough to think before he spoke.