Error message: "Data is null.This method or property cannot be called on Null Values."

Question

Hello,

I have the following code:

String name;
 
if (rdr.GetString(rdr.GetOrdinal("NAME")) == null)
    name = "";
 else
    name = rdr.GetString(rdr.GetOrdinal("NAME"));
                           

and i'm getting an error message "Data is null.This method or property cannot be called on Null Values."

Any ideas why i'm getting this error message?

Thank you in advance.