How not to respond to media coverage you don’t like

Your organisation is getting media coverage it doesn’t like, or feels is unfair.

Bad coverage can be bad for the brand.

How do you react?

Would you blacklist the media outlet, refuse to let its journalists speak to your spokespeople, and vow not to send them any press releases?

Not got time to keep reading? Listen to the blog instead:

That was the hardline comms approach taken by Mick Barton, the leader of Nottinghamshire County Council.

The ban reportedly came into force following a disagreement about a story on local government reorganisation. Although it seems tensions have been building for some time.

Not only are Nottinghamshire Live journalists now banned from talking to Mr Barton and any of his Reform councillors, but the county council is also no longer sending the publication press releases.

According to a council spokesperson, the ban will only be lifted for emergencies “like flooding and weather-related cases.”

In a statement, Mr Barton has said: “Our door is always open to honest debate and constructive criticism. What we will not do is allow misinformation to shape the narrative of our governance, whether local or national."

He also suggested the ban could be extended to other media, saying the party would not engage with “any other media outlet we consider to be consistently misrepresenting our policies, actions, or intentions”.

What I know from my time in journalism and comms is that banning or excluding journalists inevitably always leads to bad publicity, as these headlines show:

For a party looking to present itself as a credible alternative to lead the country, and that positions itself as a ‘free speech’ champion, the coverage surely makes for uncomfortable reading.

The story was also the lead story on ITV Central.

And there has been widespread criticism from other political parties

Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake called the decision a “disgrace”.

Max Wilkinson, the Liberal Democrat culture, media and sport spokesperson, described it as “dangerous and chilling”.

And Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP for Nottingham East, said the move “sets a chilling precedent”.

Additionally, the NUJ – the trade union for journalists – called the move a “worrying development”.

Chris Morley, its Northern and Midlands senior organiser, said: “This is a really worrying development.

“It's a key part of a local newspaper's role to hold decision makers to account. If reporters are barred from interviewing key councillors about those decisions, it risks creating a vacuum of democracy.”

It is hard to disagree with those reactions, even though Richard Tice, Reform UK’s deputy leader, has defended the ban, saying that Nottinghamshire Live “distorts and completely acts in an irresponsible way”.

Reform’s Nottinghamshire group is, of course, not the first organisation to ban particular reporters.

There have been many instances of football clubs trying this tactic over the years.

Towards the end of 2023, Manchester United scored an own goal by banning several journalists from asking its manager questions.

The club said it had “taken action against several news organisations, not for publishing stories we don’t like, but for doing so without contacting us first to give us the opportunity to comment, challenge or contextualise.”.

A little further back, political journalists boycotted a Downing Street briefing after one of Boris Johnson’s aides tried to exclude reporters from the Mirror, the i, HuffPost, PoliticsHome, the Independent, and others.

Both examples led to damning coverage.

Amid the fallout of the Nottinghamshire decision, there was one particular reaction that grabbed my attention.

Labour’s Mansfield MP Steve Yemm said: "Shutting the door on local journalists doesn't just block criticism, it cuts off residents from the facts. Whether you agree with every headline or not, local media keeps the public informed and those in power honest."

That hits the nail on the head and shows why this approach is an act of self-harm at many levels.  

It is well known that local newspapers have endured a tough time over the past decade and beyond. And they have suffered falling circulations and cutbacks.. During a recent masterclass for members of our learning and development programme for comms and PR professionals - The Media Team Academy - we highlighted that 300 UK local newspapers have closed since 2005.

But people still turn to them, or their online versions, when they want to know what is happening in their area. They are the eyes and ears.

A Reuters Institute survey earlier this year showed that in the UK, local newspapers are seen as the second-best source of local news and information, behind social media.

If people are no longer buying physical newspaper copies, they are accessing the content online and through social media.

Reform may think the ban means it will get its messages out unfiltered in Nottinghamshire.

But bypassing a prominent local newspaper means fewer residents are likely to see them. The most recent figures I can see show Nottinghamshire Live has just under five million monthly website users and more than 19 million page views.

The council leaders do not have the huge social media platforms of party boss Nigel Farage to allow them to reach residents without going through the media.

Comms professionals will encounter coverage they don’t like and that causes their leaders to take offence. Stories that feel unfair or you believe are untrue.

And there are times where they need to be countered and challenged.

But no matter how upset you or your organisation feels, a hardline approach like this must be avoided.

Banning, freezing out journalists, or cutting off all access doesn’t solve problems. It creates new ones. Impacts reputation. And becomes a story or crisis media management incident in its own right.

Whether the decision is made by a political party, a sports club, or a company, such a move suggests a fear of scrutiny, a desire for complete control, and a lack of confidence in decisions, messages and media spokespeople.

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