Difference Between Attack Dogs And Spokespersons
An attack dog, according to Oxford Dictionary is “a dog trained to attack on command, and is kept for this purpose.”
Barking, by a watch dog, is an involuntary action. So, it barks at every single suspicion of a move by a perceived assailant or enemy of its owner. Most times, a dog does not wait for its owner to direct its reaction against a perceived enemy before it barks.
A Public Relations Officer, Press Secretary, Special Adviser On Media & Communications or Director of Publicity to a government official or organization is supposed to function as the image maker of that official or organization, and do what is called image laundering.
Image laundering is the act of managing a person or corporate organization’s image to improve and or protect its perception in the eyes of the public.
Image laundering involves the presentation of facts, and features reactions or responses to criticisms and opinions that the spokesperson feels may not present his or her Principal in a good light.
A spokesperson is not an attack dog. There are three RESPONSIBLE PHASES that must be contained in a spokesperson’s response or reaction to criticisms made against his or her principal.
The first phase is an acknowledgement of the critic’s right to an opinion, especially in a democratic society.
“Well, he (or she) is entitled to his (or her) opinion.”
The second phase is the spokesperson’s expression of disagreement with the CRITIC’S POSITION- not the person of the critic.
“I do not agree with what he (or she) said.”
The third phase is an explanation of facts of the matter and what the spokesperson perceives as the true position of the issue.
“The fact is that …What our organization is doing (or plans to do) is that …”
Considering the above explanation in this piece, it is clear that any spokesperson of an organization, government agency or individual that responds to every single criticism and attacks or insults the person or personality of those who criticize or merely share an opinion about his or her principal, rather than addressing raised issue, can be referred to as an ATTACK DOG; an irresponsible one at that.
