Christies Child wrote:Cheers Glen.
I never actually thought of it in those terms.
Interesting to read the opinions of a former Editor.
It's still frustrating as hell though when MPs squirm their way out of answering questions.
It is frustrating with MPs - they have a party line to 'toe' but often you think 'come on, surely you can give a proper answer on that, we're not going to shoot you!'
The TV show The Thick of It (and its film version 'In the Loop') give a great insight into the world of 'spin' in that respect.
On the council thing I speak from experience. When
I was a press officer at the county council I had a reporter ring me about a council planning decision. I gave her the decision details - which were a matter of public record, a matter of fact.
Then she said: "And what do you think about that? How can you justify that?"
I said: "I'll give you the number for the chairman of the committee so you can ring him for a comment."
She said: "But what do YOU think about it?"
I said: "I'm a paid employee of the council. I can give you the facts of the meeting and the decision that was taken, if you're looking for a comment, an opinion, then, as I say, I'll put you in touch with the committee chairman who can answer all that and give you a quote."
She didn't phone the councillor, instead quoting all of that last paragraph in the paper (in East Lancs) after 'Glen Cooper, council press officer, said: ".....
I had to ring her and her editor the next day to explain that, in future, I'd have to preface each sentence I ever said to her with the words "This bit is OFF the record" or "This bit can be ON the record".
Is the glass half full or half empty? Mmmm? hard to say - but it does look like there's room for more beer!
