by Michael Brown, Media Associates, author of Media Easy

This article provides advice on media interviews and explains how to handle unexpected calls or requests from reporters.

First this thought: don't hide behind "No comment". Even with ill-informed reporters you'll usually gain more than you lose by being open. Even if someone has messed up and you have to admit error, you can turn a negative into a positive by showing that your organisation is human and is determined to put things right. It certainly beats watching an item that compares you with Gengis Khan, and hearing the reporter say, "We approached XYZ for their side of the story and they refused to comment."

Of course there are often valid reasons why you cannot comment. In that case say on the record, something like this: "I can't comment at this stage because / it's still under investigation / it involves private information about a client / it's before the courts".

The method

The following guide works best for reactive situations, for calls you didn't expect. It's open and honest and it works very well, as long as you are flexible and ready to leave some parts out. That's because many reporters simply want straight-forward background information. Some don't have a story at all and want to know if you've got one for them.(Note: for pro-active situations see the end of this article.)

STEP ONE

Record their contact details. It's important to do it before they launch into a long explanation. Apart from the obvious reason, it signals a professional approach to media contacts.

STEP TWO

Take control. After you've heard what they want, say, "I can't do an interview right now, I'll need to / get the facts in front of me / talk to our communications team etc. What's your deadline?" Those last three words are vital - they signal your willingness to work with the reporter and to comment when you're prepared.

Once you've sorted out the deadline and established an interview time, the reporter may be ready to put the phone down. Don't let her go because the important part is to come.

STEP THREE

Get the reporter's perspective. That means asking the reporter some questions. Yes, you're reversing roles for a moment, so you need to begin by saying something like, "Before you go, I'll need to ask you a couple of questions." Here they are:

• What type of interview do you have in mind? (short? long? news? feature?)
• What's your general question line going to be?
• Have you talked to anyone else in..... (inside your organisation)
• Who else have you talked to? Who are you quoting? What were their words? What am I replying to?
• Are there any other issues I should know about?

Note: in difficult issues, the phrase "what am I replying to?" is crucial if you don't want unpleasant surprises in the middle of the interview.

STEP FOUR

Check your understanding. Say, "So, if I've understood you..."

With this method, you get a good idea of what to expect from the interview, which means that you can prepare adequately.

Of course you may be the first person the reporter calls. If so, and especially if you're on the receiving end of an accusation, you might suggest that she interviews the other side first, then comes back to you.

For pro-active situations (for example, you've just sent out a press release), the reporter expects that you'll be ready to give an interview. But it may be worth saying up front, "Yes, we can do the interview now... but first let me ask you a couple of questions." Then ask some of the questions in Step Three. If there are no major surprises, go ahead and give the interview. If there are, you can arrange to postpone until you can get more facts together.

If you’d like to work effectively with the media to represent your organisation more effectively, read Michael Brown’s Media Easy – a book on improving your media skills and handling the media.

We also provide customised in-house media training specially designed for your team and Scheduled Open Workshops. Contact Media Associates for further information about our customised training workshops.

Expert advice on media interviews and handling requests from reporters.