WHATEVER HAPPENS, DON’T LIE

Telling lies is a sure and certain way to wreck a beautiful friendship with a journalist. All PR people put a touch of ‘spin’ on a story from time to time – maybe leaving out something which is better left unsaid (like, it’s a wonderful piece of kit but maybe best not to mention its out-of-sight delivery time). But never, never tell a direct lie to a journalist, either verbally or in a written news story. If he accepts it as genuine and acts on it, and then it proves to be a lie, he will never trust you again. It’s all part of the stories thing, it’s about his professionalism. He needs to get a reputation for accuracy, for getting his stories right. You’ve broken the trust he placed in you, you’ve dented his reputation. He won’t risk it next time.