Think before you act

Just how bad is this incident? It’s very easy to get worked up into a steaming froth of indignation – or get provoked into one by colleagues who scent excitement, but who aren’t responsible for subsequent relationships with the press! Indeed, your first instinct may be to send for m’Learned Friends and, as a very last resort, recourse to law may become necessary.

However, before you get fired up and start serving writs, it’s worthwhile considering that going to law can be very expensive, and may not prove all that advantageous in the long run. Libel cases, for example, are notoriously tricky; you might win, but also you might lose. Most publishing companies carry insurance against actions for libel, damages, etc., but if you lose you may end up having to pay your own costs – and possibly theirs, too. The Learned Friends will usually make sure that this adds up to some big, big figures. Also, the resultant publicity won’t do anything for the future take-up of your stories by other publications, who may see your organisation as a keen litigant that’s best avoided.