Be careful what you send a business reporter via e-mail

Josh Flory, a business reporter at the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, posts an amusing e-mail he received a year ago about a real estate project after he inquired about the deal.

Unfortunately for the developer, it included comments not intended for publication.

Flory posts: “It also included a draft version of the press release, which started like this (some information has been redacted to protect the guilty):

“‘For Delayed Release:

“That’s a lede guaranteed to get a reporter’s attention, but the internal email dialogue was equally enjoyable. In one message, the developer declared that ‘As Donald Trump says, ‘there’s no such thing as bad press’ – not that Donald is any idle [sic] of mine. Depending on the reporter, we ought be able to generate some leads and perhaps sales out of this.’

‘([Name redacted] – Some quick thoughts. Feel free to edit add etc., as you see fit…)

‘….perhaps some sappy intro about the peaceful setting on [redacted]…”

“That’s the spirit!

“An email from another official declared that ‘Josh Flory called and wants the scoop on [redacted]. He said it would be better to give him all the details so that the story would be as accurate and positive as possible. I told him that someone would get back with him tomorrow, he’s anxious to get it in the paper…damn media frenzy. I really want to make sure that this paper gets it correct, maybe a press release or detailed info. would be better than things he may hear from competitors or if he calls the bank.'”

Read more here.