{"id":6597,"date":"2010-06-28T08:33:12","date_gmt":"2010-06-28T08:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/publicityhound.com\/blog\/?p=6597"},"modified":"2010-06-28T08:33:12","modified_gmt":"2010-06-28T08:33:12","slug":"7-places-to-stay-off-the-sauce-if-reporters-are-present","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/marketing\/public-relations\/7-places-to-stay-off-the-sauce-if-reporters-are-present\/","title":{"rendered":"7 places to stay off the sauce if reporters are present"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"corkscrew<\/a>Journalists and booze don’t mix.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nJust look at what happened to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was dumb enough to let an investigative \u00a0freelancer for Rolling Stone into his inner circle and\u00a0conduct a tape-recorded interview—over drinks.<\/div>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/div>\n
Never, ever drink while interviewing with a reporter. That’s a lesson in Interviewing 101 and keeping the media wolves at bay<\/a>.<\/div>\n
\n

But you need to be on your guard even if you aren’t being interviewed, and booze and reporters are present. \u00a0Many people incorrectly assume that if they don’t see a reporter scribbling in a notebook, the interview, or anything they say, is off the record. \u00a0Assume that everything you say in front of journalists is on the record, or don’t say it.<\/p>\n

Loose lips sink ships.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Here are seven situations when you must stay away from reporters if you’re drinking, or stay away from alcohol if you’re talking to anyone in the media.<\/div>\n


<\/p>\n

1. After-work networking events
\n<\/strong>The \u00a0media sometimes attend these events, often hosted by the local chamber of commerce. Smart reporters know how to make nice with you and get you talking. If you aren’t holding a drink in your hand, and you’re busy prattling on about your business, they can slyly lead you to the bar and offer you a drink.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Events hosted by the media
\n<\/strong>Business journals and other business magazines generate a large portion of their revenue from these events, and reporters and editors are everywhere. <\/strong>It’s a great chance to schmooze with the media, but only if you aren’t drinking.
\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

3. \u00a0Local and national Press Club dinners and special events
\n<\/strong>Reporters and editors have a well-deserved reputation for boozing it up at Press Club dinners and awards ceremonies. \u00a0I recommend that anyone who wants publicity consider attending these events, often open to the public, \u00a0because you can establish valuable relationships with the media—sober.
\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

4. \u00a0Trade shows
\n<\/strong>If you’re attending a trade show, you should do your homework<\/a> and touch base with reporters who you know will be at the show so you can meet them for coffee, <\/strong>offer your expertise and find out what they need from you. Beware, however, of evening cocktail parties hosted by the trade show’s sponsor, where food and booze are plentiful.
\n\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

5. Conferences and conventions the media cover<\/strong><\/p>\n

Opportunities abound for getting into trouble, from sitting next to a reporter during dinner to joining a group of people that includes journalists at a local tavern, at the end of the day.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n6. \u00a0Fund-raisers and black-tie dinners<\/strong><\/div>\n
Reporters sometimes attend these dinners to cover them, \u00a0and newspaper and magazine executives often attend them as guests.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\n7. \u00a0The “lunch” or “dinner” interview.<\/strong><\/div>\n
If reporters want to interview you over lunch or dinner, that’s usually OK. And if they want to drink, that’s their choice. But don’t even think of having just a half glass of wine. You must be at the top of your game, on point, and coherent.
\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nWhat situations can you add to this list? If you’re a PR person, what advice do you give to your clients?<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Journalists and booze don’t mix. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Just look at what happened to Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was dumb enough to let an investigative \u00a0freelancer for Rolling Stone into his inner circle and\u00a0conduct a tape-recorded interview—over drinks. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Never, ever drink while interviewing with a reporter. That’s a lesson in Interviewing 101 and keeping the media\u2026 Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","iawp_total_views":3,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[606],"tags":[246,29],"class_list":{"0":"post-6597","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-public-relations","7":"tag-chamber-of-commerce","8":"tag-media-relations","9":"entry"},"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"Joan Stewart","author_link":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/author\/jstewart\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6597","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6597"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6597\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6597"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6597"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/purelysupp.com\/publicity\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6597"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}