Poynter on the Record

Dr. Bob Steele, an ethicist at St. Petersburg's Poynter Institute, a think tank for journalists that also owns The St. Petersburg Times, said it's not unusual for former government, business and military leaders to request anonymity on the speaking circuit. But he encourages organizations to consider the consequences before accepting such terms.

"Too often we give protection to people who don't deserve it," he said. "It's why accountability in our society is diminished."

Unless a meeting with a newsmaker is advertised as off the record, Steele said a journalist who paid to attend such an event is not legally or ethically bound by a last-minute directive. Case law makes it clear, he said. "We don't have an agreement with somebody unless we agree to it."

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