NEW YORK: The questionable strategy of asking journalists to submit interview quotations for approval before publication burst into the open last month, with word that a writer for Vanity Fair agreed to those terms in exchange for exclusive, behind the scenes access to President Obama. A New York Times columnist ruefully noted the practice was becoming more widespread, and the paper quickly announced a policy banning its use.
Is seeking quotation approval ever defensible? Perhaps, say some PR pros – but especially now, they say, even asking for it runs the risk of damaging long term relationships with important journalists. Courtesy PRWeek. Subscription or pay-per-view required.