Media Response Recently a member wrote to the OFBF state office about being misquoted in a newspaper story. The reporter wrote about the weather's impact on Ohio’s crops. The farmer said his area needed rain within a few days; the reporter quoted him as saying the rain was needed within a few weeks. The farmer was understandably concerned – readers got the wrong impression about the severity of the situation. Fortunately, incorrect quotes are an infrequent problem. Generally reporters do a good job, but occasionally a quote gets fouled up. So how do you, as the misquoted person, respond? The best starting point is to step back from the issue and assess the seriousness of the error. Ask yourself: What is the potential damage? Will the misquote harm my credibility, or seriously misinform the public? Or will it simply be the cause of some kidding from friends? Answering that question helps you prepare for your next step. If you decide that a call is necessary, call the reporter directly, not his editor. Journalists, like anyone, don’t like to make mistakes. When they do, they’d rather hear about it from you than from their boss. And don't delay your call. If a mistake was made, the reporter prefers to know about it right away. What should you hope for in visiting with the reporter? If the error was a serious one, you might ask that a correction be printed. But be aware that the degree of seriousness is a subjective judgment. You and the reporter may not agree on how important the misquote was. Frankly, the reporter has an advantage in that discussion. That's why it's usually in your best interest to not demand a correction. Instead, your goal should be to clarify what you really said and how the misquote affected the story. That will help the reporter gain a better understanding of the story and will encourage more care the next time that reporter quotes you. Most of the time, you and the reporter will resolve the issue. However, there are occasions when that won't happen. So do you call the reporter's boss? Again, it's time to assess the impact of the misquote. If it's important enough to pursue with the newspaper's management, be prepared for the same discussion on the relative importance of the misquote. And if you decide to call the editor, be sure to call the appropriate person. Find out who the reporter's immediate supervisor is. It's important to work your way up the chain of command. Fortunately, it's rare that your disagreement with the paper will escalate into a major problem. Most times, your call to the reporter can be viewed as an opportunity to build a relationship. As mentioned before, reporters hate to make mistakes. If you recognize this, you can go a long way toward helping that reporter become more informed about farming and the issues that impact agriculture. | |