Friday 12 June 2009

Newsquest:'We don't comment on our business'

Newsquest Sussex gave this less than helpful, but typical, reply to a journalism.co.uk reporter who was doing a story about possible job cuts at The Argus, Brighton: “We do not comment on our business.”
A strange way for a newspaper group to behave. If other companies and institutions gave Newsquest journalists the same response they might run a bit short of copy.
Another Newsquest reaction to press inquiries is to say only the chief executive can comment to the press..."and he won't be back until next week."

1 comment:

Patrick Smith said...

It's longstanding problem at Newsquest -- they really don't comment on their business. While Gannett editors and PR people are free to speak to journalists within reason, there are hardly any senior Newsquest staff willing to say anything, including the CEO.

There was an exception during the strike at the Herald last year when Glasgow MD Tim Blott, very helpfully for me, started doing interviews -- he put the company's point across very well and in PR terms they came out better for it.

Surely even 'no comment' is better than 'we're never going to tell you anything'?