Bond's Broadcast

Accountability and risk.

There was a time in the late 1960s or early 1970s when Lyndon Johnson put his presidency on the line with the civil rights movement.

His advisors and many from his political party felt he shouldn’t do that and the president, being as he was – Texan and unafraid said, “Well what’s the presidency for if you can’t put it on the line? – to make people’s lives better, to improve their station and to provide opportunity.”

This, in my opinion, is the way it should be about anything.

If you take a political office or if you are a business leader regardless of the type you should be willing to put that on the line to be successful.

That is frankly something I don’t see in the newspaper business either.

What I find really disconcerting is the runaway predominance of saying what best serves the business or the office.

There are times when the use of the statement, “no comment,” can have relevance and even be in the best interest of all concerned but in reality just telling the truth would be the easiest path.

I can’t tell you the times I have had a spokesperson say there will be no comment on this topic or that topic when in reality it will put the company in question in a bad light rather than just telling the truth.

I find it exceptionally strange in this day and age why everything has to appear to be a cover-up. Just take a look at what has happened to those who hid behind the cloak of saying “no comment.”

At any rate I wanted to make this part of my column this week to clarify a point I would like to say when things happen let’s not hide behind the cloak of secrecy let’s put it on the line to do what is right.

During my time in the newspaper business we have always had meetings or at the very minimum discussions of what should be covered and how it should be covered.

It’s best to have input from several sources but fundamentally we have to have to take the time to make sure we are getting the facts from the people who would be in the know and properly conveying this.

During the past two weeks we have had two, count them, two responses to questions with “no comment.”

It’s almost like the people involved have something to hide. I can’t fathom anything that is worse than appearing to cover something out or act as though some proprietary information can be given out by simply and truthfully asking questions.

What I have found to be the case over time is that not answering ultimately makes it come to the front, especially when the sources choose to use the “no comment” line of response.

So when the facts come out, be it a large matter or small, the spokesperson or elected official really looks foolish and wants to say they’re being picked on.

That is why no matter what I write in this column on a weekly basis it makes no difference to me as I always write under my name and never ever try to hide a simple fact or truth as a matter of competitive edge. I have been beaten on stories and I have broken a few – but always with the full truth as I am able to present it.

Keep that in mind as you follow what the coverage of this newspaper brings and you’ll see what I mean.

And so, for another week, thanks and thirty.

Contact Hank Bond at [email protected]