WASHINGTON – “We talk about everything under the sun,” Jeff Smulyan said of Sen. Evan Bayh, “but the media.”

The president of Emmis Communications said the verboten topic with his longtime friend was to ensure that there’s no hint of impropriety.

“Sometimes the appearance of questionable activity is as bad as actual questionable activity,” Smulyan said. “For that reason, and I think now Sen. Bayh now has rules, but long before he had rules, we have absolutely not lobbied him on media issues. Not discussed it with him. … That’s the only way you can do it when you have a personal relationship.”

But 14 minutes after an interview last week with a reporter working on a story about Susan Bayh’s role in Emmis and other corporations she helps direct, Smulyan’s press aide, Jodi Wright, was on the phone – to Bayh’s Senate office.

Wright misdialed, however, calling the reporter instead. She asked to speak to Jonathan Swain, who is Bayh’s press secretary.

Bayh said Emmis staff had informed his office of the interview and promised to call “to tell us how it went in case there were anything off the wall or anything. … I frankly don’t find that to be too surprising.”