Gwynn Morgan, former EnCana CEO turned Globe and Mail columnist, offers some tart words about journalists and how they can erode a company's reputation.
I was reminded of this by a feature length report in a little magazine, distributed free with our local newspaper, which accused two large Canadian companies, an entire industry, two provincial governments and a federal cabinet minister of numerous wrongdoings. Among these were ignoring the law while willingly endangering the environment and destroying democracy. As if to support these serious allegations, one of the companies was also accused of committing even worse sins in another country.
The article exhibited all the signs of a biased reporter with a predetermined viewpoint, including slanted use of scant facts and selective referencing of other questionable commentaries and reports. To those of us experienced at being on the receiving end of agenda-based journalism, other detectable signs include damning quotes from anonymous sources prefaced by such phrases as "the company has been accused of" ... or "a project which one scientist has referred to as"... .
Slanted use of scant facts and selective referencing of other questionable commentaries and reports? Is Mr. Morgan sure he isn't talking about corporate public relations efforts?
Anyway, he goes on to say that as a businessman, he had been attacked by all types of "anti-" zealots, who adopted an ends-justify-the-means approach. He would include some journalists in those numbers.
Good journalists, it seems, are hard to find:
Adding to the challenge for business leaders is that even interactions with honest, professional journalists in the mainstream media can be like ships passing in the night. Part of the reason is that relatively few journalists employed by the mainstream press and electronic media have experience in business or training in science. In an age when private sector free enterprise dominates, and almost every aspect of modern living involves technology, even the best-intentioned interviews can have unsatisfactory outcomes.
No wonder ensuring that your company's side of any story is understood and countering inaccurate or agenda-biased reporting can be a frustrating undertaking.
He doesn't have much advise, except that suing usually doesn't help. That doesn't mean, however, that one should let attacks on the company's repuation go unchallenged.
Along with instilling strong values in your company:
It also means establishing responsive, trusting relationships with the vast majority of journalists who take pride in striving to understand and present reports in a balanced and professional manner.