Boston University Office of Public Relations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- December 3, 1999
Contact: Janice Zazinski, 617/353-4198; [email protected]
Congressional Press Secretaries Tell of Life Behind the Scenes on the Hill
They stand behind, and occasionally in for, members of Congress. They hate being called "spin doctors" but admit they "manage" press interactions to benefit their boss. They are Capitol Hill's press secretaries, and are the subject of a study by Boston University College of Communication's Assistant Professor Ed Downes that explores the relationships between the secretaries, their Members, and the media.
"The Hill's press secretaries are responsible for communications between the congressional office and the media," explains Downes. "Although policy positions and issues stances come directly from the Members, the messages leading to and describing those choices are manipulated by the press secretary."
For instance, a Congresswoman's or -man's speeches or "on the record" comments are often straight from the mouth of the press secretary. "Thus, they in effect decide which news is shared with the citizenry," Downes explains. "Since 95 percent of Representatives have a full-time press person, it's critical to understand the relationship between the Members and their press secretaries, looking at who these people are and how they view their jobs, their politics, and themselves."
Downes found that press secretaries are in general young, highly educated, upwardly mobile communication professionals who have substantive experience, as opposed to the stereotype of a career government bureaucrat who has a cushy patronage job.
Downes' focus groups and interviews with a large sample of press secretaries discovered they are deeply loyal to their members, willingly representing them even when their political beliefs collide. "They become confidants," he explains. "The longer they work for a Member, the more likely they are to become trusted advisors."
And what of the perhaps most important issue of all -- what do press secretaries see as their duty towards the truth? "They believe it's essential to tell the truth, but not necessarily the whole truth," says Downes. "They readily admit to conveniently disregarding information that might make a story fuller or more accurate."
The research was presented at the November meeting of the National Communication Association.
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