Question

In which of the following situations is a government official giving a reporter information on background?

A. Providing an exclusive interview about a new policy initiative.
B. Anonymously releasing future campaign stops.
C. Sharing publicly available data during a press conference.
D. Sending a press release about an upcoming budget proposal.
E. Disclosing sensitive information off the record during a conversation.

Answer 1

Background information is typically provided off the record, separate from interviews, press releases, or data shared during press conferences.

Step-by-step explanation:

Background information is typically provided by a government official when they disclose sensitive information off the record during a conversation. This means that the official is sharing information with a reporter, but expects that the information will not be directly attributed to them or published.

This is different from other options mentioned:

• Providing an exclusive interview about a new policy initiative is not background information, as it is intended for attribution.
• Anonymously releasing future campaign stops is not background information, as it is intended to be published without attribution.
• Sharing publicly available data during a press conference is not background information, as it is already accessible to the public.
• Sending a press release about an upcoming budget proposal is not background information, as it is intended for publication with attribution.