At the risk of being overly simplistic, let’s compare the task of a newspaper reporter to that of a factory manager. After all, reporters collect quotes from community members to form stories, much like managers of widget factories collect widgets from employees to form a product. With this comparison in mind, consider the following hypothetical quote encountered by the newspaper reporter:

“[John Doe’s personal opinion of ongoings within the community],” Doe said. “Oh, but that’s off the record. You can’t print that, it would be unfair.”

Although the reporter may ultimately choose not to include the quote, it cannot be wiped from the record after-the-fact, as Doe would like to have happen. Forgetting Doe’s statement would be the equivalent of a widget factory manager destroying a perfectly good widget, maybe the best one ever made, because the employee who made it wanted it kept a secret. 

So, as long as Doe goes “off the record” beforehand he’s covered, right? 

Nope.

Here’s another hypothetical quote encountered by the reporter, mid-conversation with Doe:

“... but off the record I will tell you [insert Doe’s personal opinion of ongoings within the community],” Doe said.

This one’s more complicated. 

The reporter has gained knowledge Doe considers privileged, even though he never agreed to go “off the record.” It’s like the factory employee has shown his manager a widget he can’t sell since he decided to make it “off the clock.” In business, the solution to the problem is clear: the manager wants the factory worker to continue making widgets “on the clock” – much as the reporter would like to keep a working rapport with Doe – so the factory worker signs a contract saying he will not produce any more “off the clock” widgets since it is an obvious conflict of interest with his job. While no such contract may exist for a newspaper reporter, he could certainly ask Doe to rephrase his “off the record” comment, this time for publication.

But what of the original “off the record” quote? 

What of the “off the clock” widget? What if it is the best widget ever made? Does the manager claim it as part of his contract since it was, after all, made by a company employee? Should the reporter continue pursuing the story as if he hadn’t gained Doe’s personal opinion in the first place? If Doe refuses to rephrase can the reporter simply use his “off the record” comment -– a move that would most likely mean the end of their working relationship? 

I haven’t been in the business long enough to answer that.

Going “off the record” isn’t like flipping a switch; it’s an agreement between a reporter and a source to have a discussion not intended for publication. A reporter has a right to say “No, I don’t want to go off the record,” it’s a way to keep all these questions from coming up at all.

That said, if during the course of a discussion someone finds that they want to talk to me and not the entire Mainely Media coverage area, all they have to do is ask. Those who have know that I usually don’t mind taking off my reporter’s hat for a minute or two. 

Just don’t force it off my head.

- Nate Jones