Phil Redmond: Dealing with leaks

Apr 18 2008 by Phil Redmond, Liverpool Daily Post

LEAKS. Well, what else would I write about this week? Once again, too much time has been taken up by mischief making and trying to calm people down in the regional and national media over things that are, as they should know, typical everyday events in medialand.

Confidential leaks and ultimatums. Both have a similar purpose. To gain advantage. One subversive. One overt. Both tools of government and media. But each uses them in different measure.

How much government policy, local and national, have we seen formed by gauging the reaction to well-targeted leaks? How many stories have we read about talent’s unreasonable demands? Talent learns the power of the ultimatum fairly quickly, but it’s not something that comes naturally to left leaning social administrations. Or perhaps football management? For rock ’n’ roll, it’s life blood.

The arch media proponent of both tools is, of course, broadcasting, benefiting from leaks people provide, writhing about leaks from within; never shy to use its dominant position to issue ultimatums. The spat this week between Sky and Chelski a case in point.

I remember a past BBC director general talking good-humouredly about the Corporation’s discomfort when they first came up against a rock ’n’ roll band that refused to kow-tow to the BBC’s “usual terms” and insisted on their own. It was quite a shock for them to be “dictated too” and that band was, of course, The Beatles, with the recently deceased Scouser Neil Aspinall at the helm of Apple.

However, he said they enjoyed the brinkmanship and told me a tale of how, during one deal-making session, their Head of Acquisitions was instructed by Ringo, yes, he, the target of topiary terrorists, to personally take a cup of hot tea from the BBC canteen in Shepherds Bush across to Apple’s central London offices, a distance of several miles through London traffic.

Needless to say, said executive promptly did as bid, the tea was delivered in requested BBC paper cup and the deal was signed and everyone dined out on it for years. Daft? On who’s part? In Liverpool, it’s called worth a try. In show business, it’s called the rider. See how far you can push.

So all the to-ing and fro-ing, ultimatums and brinkmanship are everyday grist to the mill and, actually, what enlivens what is, after all, just another business negotiation. Until the leaks start around the deal itself, then it starts to erode the trust and confidentiality needed for continuing relationships. Just as they have at that sports business up at Anfield. That only proves how daft football’s become, so perhaps five grand a share to control the daftness ourselves is not a bad idea. Like The Beatles did with Apple?

The other thing medialand knows well is that ultimatums can garner grudging respect. It’s not quite the same with confidential leaks.