Checking a quotation before approving attribution

Before approving an attributed quotation supplied by your organisation, check that the named person said or approved the words, that the facts are right and that removing surrounding context would not reverse the meaning. The check protects accuracy. It does not give a spokesperson authority over a journalist’s finished story.

Establish what is being checked

A prepared written quote and a quote taken from an interview have different records. For a prepared quote, keep the draft, the expert’s approval and any later corrected version. For an interview, use accurate notes or a recording made under the agreed conditions. Do not silently substitute polished words for what was actually said.

Confirm the proposed attribution: name, role, organisation and whether the person speaks for themselves or on behalf of the organisation. If several staff supplied background material, do not attribute their combined answer to an expert who has not reviewed it. Clarify any conditions about attribution before the exchange, since a later request may conflict with the journalist’s understanding.

Check meaning as well as wording

Read the quotation beside the complete answer and check figures, dates, units and proper names against the underlying source. Then look for a qualifier that sits outside the selected sentence.

A line about one surveyed group can mislead if published as a claim about everyone. A conditional forecast changes meaning if the condition is cut.

Mark corrections narrowly: tell the journalist which item is wrong, provide the accurate information and explain why the change matters. A factual correction is different from a request to soften a view, remove an inconvenient admission or insert company praise. If the quote is accurate but incomplete, identify the missing context and let the journalist assess it.

Keep approval within its proper boundary

A newsroom may check a quote or technical fact with a source, but its editorial process is its own. Do not promise internal stakeholders that they will approve the article, headline or final selection of quotes.

If a journalist offers a specific quote check, answer within that scope and deadline. If they do not, keep a clear record so you can raise a concrete accuracy concern later.

The final internal approval should be explicit: the named person has seen the prepared words, the supporting facts have been checked and the attribution is accurate. If any of those checks fail, fix the proposed quote before it is sent.

Once an interview has happened, focus any follow-up on a demonstrable error or missing context rather than trying to rewrite an answer after the fact.