What is On Background?

On background means a reporter can use the information you provide, but only with a pre-agreed attribution — typically a non-specific descriptor like "a company spokesperson," "a person familiar with the matter," or "a senior executive at the firm." Background is useful for context-setting and steering a story without putting an executive's name on a sensitive quote. The attribution must be negotiated before the conversation begins. Crackle PR uses on-background attribution carefully — it's a scalpel for context-setting on sensitive stories, not a way to sneak commentary into a piece without accountability.