Spin (public relations)

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In public relations, spin is a usually pejorative term signifying a heavily biased portrayal in one's own favor of an event or situation. While traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, "spin" often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics. Politicians are often accused of spin by their political opponents.

Because of the frequent association between "spin" and press conferences (especially government press conferences), the room in which these take place is sometimes described as a spin room.

Overview

"Spin" was originally an acronym, "Significant Progress In the News," used by public relations specialists in the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) in the mid-1980s. SDI had come under criticism as technically impractical. "Spin" was a public-relations attempt to counter these claims by issuing news releases showing steady progress.

The techniques of spin include:

Selective quotation and cherry picking (selectively presenting evidence that supports one's position)
Selective use of facts
Non-denial denial
Phrasing in a way that assumes unproven truths
Euphemisms to disguise or promote one's agenda

Another spin technique involves the delay in the release of bad news so it can be hidden on the back of more important or favorable news or events. A famous reference to this practice occurred when UK government press officer Jo Moore used the phrase good day to bury bad news in an email sent on September 11, 2001. The furore caused when this email was reported in the press subsequently cost her her job.

Skilled practitioners of spin are sometimes called "spin doctors", though probably not to their faces unless it is said facetiously. It is the PR equivalent of calling a writer a "hack." Perhaps the most well-known person in the UK often described as a "spin doctor" is Alastair Campbell, who was involved with Tony Blair's public relations between 1994 and 2003, and also played a controversial role as press relations officer to the British and Irish Lions rugby side during their 2005 tour of New Zealand.