3 substitutes for “No comment”

We’ve all seen it. The politician caught up in a scandal and the only response is, “No comment.”

Was that effective? No. These days a lack of denial is a presumption of guilt. (This is evident in my house when a family member pleads “no comment” when asked about missing cookies.)

What happens when you receive a media question you don’t want to answer? Here are three alternatives to “no comment”:

1. Say what you can say. The reporter wants as much information as possible, so be forthcoming about what you can say. Don’t keep all the details hidden. Transparency and authenticity are high values in our suspicious culture.

2. Say when you’ll have more information. If you’re waiting for more data or an outcome, say it. Maybe the information isn’t yours to give now, but it will be at a later date. Don’t be dodgy, but help a reporter know when the information requested will be available.

3. Bridge to your key messages. Always use questions as an opportunity to communicate your messages, and you can still accomplish this with questions you can’t or don’t want to answer. Bridge to your answers. One simple way is to say, “While I can’t address (topic), I can say…”

A PR expert can help you anticipate what questions you’ll face in a media interview and prepare you to answer with confidence. Here’s how to get a PR expert in your corner.

Hi, I'm Allison Sit, TV reporter turned PR consultant. I help motivated small business owners gain visibility and media exposure for their companies.

Follow me on Instagram at @allisonsitpr.