Never say never to “No comment:”A reevaluation of the “No comment”

paradigm of crisis communication

Eilene Wollslager, PhD, APRSSCA, Tampa, FL

April 10, 2015Slide Template Courtesy SmileTemplates

• Standard PR Instruction – Never say “No Comment” in a crisis

• When do academics accept “absolutes?”

• “No Comment” practice is considered an “absolute”

The Paradigm

History of “No Comment”

• 17th Century - Advent of print brought about “no comment” issue

• Original print references to “no comment” meant communication was clearly stated and need no further explanation

• Concurrent rise of Yellow Journalism and development of PR contributed to “No Comment” response

History of “No Comment”Subterfuge• Likely first published

reference of “No comment” as subterfuge New York Times April 14, 1890

• Bell Telephone founder Gardiner Hubbard made “no comment” about allegations of greed

History of “No Comment”

Delayed Response Strategy• 1901 William Jennings

Bryan used strategy to delay comment until more information known about the capture of Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo

History of “No Comment”

Avoiding Conflict• Chicago Tribune 1923• White House refused

to comment on US Ambassador George Harvey’s controversial comments on British Loans

• Used unattributed sources to issue criticism

Legal Pressures

Open Communication vs. “No Comment”• Legal Communication Strategies

– Say nothing– Briefly communication little information– Use justifications (privacy, company policy) for

silence– Denial or indignation – Shift or share blame with accuser

• One study 80 percent of sexual harassment cases used legal or mixed strategies

PR Education

• Universally teach avoidance of “no comment”

• Conveys negative tone (Heath and Coombs 2006)

• Public concludes the organization is at fault

Theoretical Perspectives

• Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT)– Considered “No Comment” as a possible

response, then later abandoned it

• Image Restoration Theory (Benoit 1995)– Silence initially was a strategy– Dropped early in the theory– Acknowledged as a possible short-term

response

• Advocated considering “silence” as a possible strategy (Ferguson, Wallace & Chandler 2012)

Euphemisms• No information is available, but we will share

when we have more

• Pending litigation

• We will get back to you

A viable strategy?• May work in high-context cultures

– Lee (2004) found more accepting attitude in Hong Kong study

– A silent, reserved gesture is seen as wisdom not obfuscation

– Less need for individual blame

• Investor Communication– SEC and courts at times advocate “no

comment” for impending mergers & acquisitions

• Minor issues may “blow over”

Media & “No Comment”

• AP guidelines – state reason for no comment

• 24-hour news cycle • Some things better left unsaid

– Bill Clinton - Monica Lewinsky case– Pat Robertson – Hugo Chavez

comments

Crisis Cases• Positive evidence of quick, open response

– Tylenol, Malden Mills

• Misstatements can lead to longer crises– Bill Clinton

• Crises eventually fade– Exxon Mobile had record earnings $44.9 billion (2012)

Conclusion

• Euphemisms are a “no comment” strategy

• Delaying comment• Cultural acceptance of strategy• Possible benefit of silence• Strategy should be considered

as a possible tool in crisis communication