You’re looking forward to the morning email blast from a top news outlet because you know you will be quoted in a piece. You may read it carefully, or you may give it the “Washington read,” which is drilling directly down to what they said about you. Either way, you find a quote that you believe is not what you said, or intended to say. Now what? He's mainly angry because he has no nose. Take a breath. Take another. Now take 10 more. This is the most important step. Whether t

In the age of Twitter and the 24-hour news cycle, it’s hard to imagine putting the brakes on even the smallest snippet of news. Journalists are paid to one-up each other. Breaking a story can make a career. So what’s a news embargo, and does it really work? An embargoed press release is a way to give journalists time to understand a complicated and often deep body of material, such as a detailed study of incarceration statistics. Unless your work has an amazing summary or abs

Why do some lawyers and professors find themselves quoted so often? How are they magically on speed dial with certain outlets? Certainly credit goes to their skills as an interview subject, but also to their rapport and relationship with the journalist. Forging professional friendships doesn't need to be so formal. When I was a reporter, I had several trusted lawyers and judges who consistently made themselves available to explain issues to me. I didn’t quote them every time