20 better ways to say ‘no comment’
These guidelines, intended for lawyers, offer prudent options for communicators, especially those dealing with a crisis.
A reader recently sent me a document called “101 Ways To Not Comment Without Using The Words ‘No Comment.'” It’s full of witticisms, some more useful than others.
He had received the handout at a legal conference more than a decade ago and couldn’t remember its source. (I contacted the organization that hosted the conference; its communications director was also unable to identify the provenance of the document.) My own web searches have also proved fruitless.
To respect the unknown author’s intellectual property, I selected my favorite 20 ways to say “no comment” indirectly, though I will not post the full list. (If you know the author of this document, please let us know in the comments section.)
Here are 20 ways to decline the opportunity to comment (with an emphasis on matters of law):
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today
Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.
