By Steve Rhodes
To some journalists, spokespeople are the enemy. They serve to shield their bosses from accountability by spinning reporters away from the truth. They are folks to avoid; any reporter worth their salt will develop sources over time who can tell them what’s really going on. The best stories don’t feature comments from spokespeople at all. The only time a reporter should really rely on a spokesperson is to try to schedule an interview with an official otherwise unreachable. A spokesperson is no substitute for that official, though, and publishing a statement – especially via e-mail – from a flak is tantamount to publishing an unvetted press release and should be disallowed.
To other journalists, spokespeople are saviors. They are (almost) always available to provide a statement, to deny what the reporting otherwise shows is true but let’s a reporter “prove” to their boss (and readers/viewers) that they are being fair and presenting “both sides.” They offer access – on their own terms, only to the advantage of the officials they serve. They whisper to you on background in an act of apparent charity as part of the fraternity – perhaps even over a beer – though they are highly compensated to do so to shape a reporter’s thoughts.
The better a reporter you are, the less you “need” a spokesperson. The lazier (or cozier to power) a reporter you are, the more you need a spokesperson. The world of journalism, particularly mainstream journalism, is filled with far more of the latter than the former. That is a giant disservice to readers/viewers and the truth.
So it was pretty disturbing to see how Chicago journalists reacted over the weekend to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s firing of longtime city spokesperson Bill McCaffrey. McCaffrey has worked as a flak for a variety of city departments including the notoriously dishonest law department, as well as for Chicago Public Schools, for Mayors Richard M. Daley, Rahm Emanuel and, until Friday, Lightfoot.
I had no idea until this weekend that Chicago’s press corps held McCaffrey in such high esteem because he’s been featured on this site many times over the years for his elision and outright deceit. I’ve named him Today’s Worst Person In Chicago at least twice.
Let’s review McCaffrey’s appearances here in the Beachwood before moving on to what happened this weekend. Then I’ll finish with today’s payoff. Yes, in a way, I’m burying the lead. But the purpose is to take a chronological path to your enlightenment by providing you with the background you need. Then I’ll throw in a couple related goodies for your consideration of the relationship between PR professionals and professional journalists.
Posted on December 16, 2019