Ed Gillespie on Technology

Newspaper editors say, "Good news is no news"

Negative stories require "tracking," working with the reporter as he or she follows leads, getting reports from sources about where they're heading. The traditional trajectory of such a story is the reporter gets on to something, begins building a storyline. It culminates with the one-on-one interview.

Once a reporter and his editor get it into their heads they're going to do a major piece with a negative slant, it's hard to convince them otherwise. If you can effectively refute their premise with data or credible sources, fair reporters will drop a story or at least include your viewpoint to make the story more fair.