Categories: OLD Media Moves

Utility refuses to talk to newspaper

Roger Chesley of The Virginian-Pilot reports how the state’s largest utility, Dominion Virginia Power, has been refusing to talk to the paper’s reporters who cover the company.

Chesley writes, “I’ve been told, privately, that Dominion has been miffed The Pilot doesn’t report more about ‘PR events,’ such as when Dominion employees volunteer in the community.

“News flash: That’s not news.

“Staffers at many businesses take the time to plant gardens, paint houses and sponsor food drives around the region. Those firms can honor employees in their own company newsletters.

“On Wednesday, I asked a Dominion flack whether the ‘no comment’ policy was still in effect.

“The company responded, in part, that it’s ‘one of the most open, transparent and accessible businesses in the commonwealth. Following a long history of inaccurate, biased and unfair news coverage and opinion pieces, and numerous conversations with Virginian-Pilot management and staff regarding that unfair coverage, we decided it serves no reasonable purpose to respond to inquiries from the Pilot.'”

Read more here.

Chris Roush

Chris Roush was the dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. He was previously Walter E. Hussman Sr. Distinguished Professor in business journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is a former business journalist for Bloomberg News, Businessweek, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Tampa Tribune and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. He is the author of the leading business reporting textbook "Show me the Money: Writing Business and Economics Stories for Mass Communication" and "Thinking Things Over," a biography of former Wall Street Journal editor Vermont Royster.

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