Managing inquiries properly, involves more than just giving answers; it requires preparation and long-term relationships with the media. Building credibility as a spokesperson is achieved through a consistent and empathetic connection, based on transparency, honesty, and truthfulness. Don’t wait for inquiries to come in; position your messages through ongoing relationships. How to start? With a clear protocol, training for spokespeople, promoting transparency, and having a Q&A on key issues. This is how positive engagement is achieved.

To equip your team for handling media inquiries on misinformation, start by providing clear, accurate information on the issue at hand. Ensure they understand the key facts and are aligned on messaging. Train them on responding calmly and professionally, avoiding speculation or emotional reactions. Encourage transparency—if they don’t know an answer, it’s better to admit it and promise to follow up. Practice concise responses, and stress the importance of sticking to verified facts. Prepare them to redirect conversations to trusted sources, reinforcing your team’s credibility and maintaining trust with the media and public.

One thing I have found helpful previously is that responding effectively can reinforce your credibility and prevent misinformation from doing lasting damage. By designating a trained spokesperson who can handle media questions with composure is very crucial in managing misinformation in a world full og noise. They should be equipped to answer difficult questions and keep the message focused on positive to avert the misinformation. By being very Selective with Media engagement, you can address the issue through controlled channels like press releases, Q&A documents, or official statements. Engage with the media only when necessary, and avoid speculative interviews that could backfire.

All media has a rhythm, and you to be versed enough with how it works to form a literacy. An example is how we know humans have 5 fingers on each hand, you can immediately look and tell it’s an AI image if they have 12. The same goes for spam emails with. You’re not going to get a purchase receipt email from [email protected] …because most emails stop at .com. From there, just remember media ethics. Reliable and true sources are either objective, or subjective, or satire - with cited sources that allow you to quickly fact-check in some regard. Lastly, never share based on the emotional framing of your personal beliefs without reading, or confirming if it’s true or not.

Managing relationships with the media and addressing requests involving the handling of information that has been communicated inaccurately requires understanding the importance of having an adequate process for collecting, verifying, and approving all information to be shared publicly. It is equally essential to have properly trained communicators and spokespersons to prevent the transmission process from resulting in statements that could alter the meaning and intent of the information to be communicated. Regular spokespersons training should be mandatory for any organization. When clarifications are necessary, address them with transparency and honesty, always ensuring the truthfulness and verifiability of the information.