No comment?

Reporters need to get as many sides of the story as possible especially if it is a sensitive case. There are times however when the source (a government official) who, for example, is accused of corruption or money laundering wants to keep his mouth shut and refuses to answer questions related to his case. There is no gag order. He just does not want to speak out.

The following day the story would usually come out like this: Government official X refused to comment on the allegations. the word "refused" was used when it should be "did not comment".

A classic case of declined to comment vs did not comment came out just last week and analyzed by the Columbia Journalism Review. I an attaching the link to the story. Read on. Its actually quite interesting because at the center of it is Mr. Steven Seagal, the 50-something action star, whoo once came to the Philippines to shoot a commercial for a popular liquor brand.