PR WATCH

Columbia Journalism Review: Answer the &$%#* Question!

Ever Wonder Why They Won?t? They?ve Been Media-Trained. And the Public Is the Loser

Columbia Journalism Review editor Trudy Lieberman, after examining transcripts from some 50 major news shows, concludes that "journalism has morphed into a cog in a great public relations
machine." Lieberman blames the prevalence of PR-driven media training: "At a time when the audience makes decisions based on perceptions rather than facts, the goal is to create positive perceptions of companies and their products, politicians and their policies." Recent interview excerpts illustrate how "trained" guests can easily gain control, especially when the "unwritten rules" discourage journalists from insisting on real answers