362 / TAKING CENTER STAGE
Talking to reporters
Preparing for the interview
Reporters are always under pressure to
produce their stories. You will need to
respect their deadlines while allowing
yourself time to prepare thoroughly for
an interview. Before the interview takes
place, ask the reporter for the following
information:
•
What was it that captured their
interest?
•
What do they think that you can add to
the story?
•
What approach is being used—do they
want a personal story, or a balancing
opinion?
•
What other sources will they be
using—what can you uniquely add?
•
Who is their primary audience?
Keeping it in context
Speaking to reporters under such
circumstances—especially about
controversial or news-based subjects—
makes many people worry that they will
be taken out of context. You can reduce
the likelihood of this happening by
planning ahead:
•
Work your messages into a short,
memorable form—sound bites for
broadcast and quotes for print media.
These are what you want the reporter
to take away with them.
•
Formulate “bridges”—ways of moving
between an answer to an anticipated
question and a sound bite that you
have prepared.
•
Seize the initiative by talking to the
reporter about the subject, even
before the questions begin. This is
your opportunity to influence the
direction of the interview.
Anyone in business is a potential interview subject for a reporter
searching for an expert opinion. Whether it is TV, radio, or print media,
that opportunity, provided you get it right, can win you a wider platform
to gain attention for a product or service, or to raise your own profile.
FORM CONNECTIONS
Let the reporter know if
there are others you are
aware of who can provide
information or points of view
that can aid in understanding.
Help the reporter get in touch
with those resources.
MAKE INDEPENDENT
STATEMENTS
Make sure everything you say
to a reporter can “stand
alone”; that is, make sure
your statements are not
entirely dependent on a
specific context to be
understood correctly.
Tip
Tip
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TALKING TO REPORTERS / 363
Getting your message across
A standard line of questioning for reporters
concerns the “worst case scenario.”
Reporters who are seeking interesting
comments are prone to press subjects to
speculate on what might happen in a given
case that the public might need to know.
However, speculation—no matter how
carefully phrased—is likely to create
problems if you are quoted out of context.
Replace speculation with an interesting
comment about what you do know. You will be
in a good position to do that if you understand
what the reporter wants and develop your own
well crafted messages to provide it.
Setting a clear goal for
every interview
Taking the initiative in getting
your points across
Keeping answers short
and memorable
Staying focused on your messages
and speaking about what you know
Keeping your voice natural and lively
Anticipating the obvious questions
as well as the toughest
Correcting any inaccurate
assumptions posed within questions
Assuming the reporter will
explain your points for you
Hoping the reporter asks
the right questions
Giving detailed responses and
letting the reporter select the
relevant parts
Guessing at a correct response
or the views of others
Speaking in a monotone
Winging your way through
and hoping for an easy ride
Letting inaccuracies stand
BEING INTERVIEWED
Do’s Don’ts
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US_364-365_Negotiating_Introduction.indd 364 02/06/2016 16:41
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