VERITAS: TOUCHDOWN - CANWEST POSTULATES DEMISE OF NATIONAL POST TO SPUR ACTION

Just last week I gave CTV a Touchdown for using the old “doomsday scenario” tactic to drive their message in the war between the broadcasters and the cable companies. This week, a similar TD goes to CanWest, for speculating about the potential demise of the National Post as early as this very day – unless the courts permit moving the beleaguered paper off of CanWest’s books to the auspices of a new holding company. Again, it’s an example of deliberate, strategically-driven speculation to underscore a message – as opposed to top-of-the-head blue-skying, which is always a no-no. But the story also raises another important point, and that is that legal filings – court documents – can be very powerful communications vehicles. That’s where this story originated, and it serves as a reminder that anything you table in a court of law can – and often will be – used in the court of public opinion as well. Communications folks should always be kept abreast of what the lawyers are putting down on paper, because the distance from the clerk’s table to the front page can be very short indeed.