6 Tips on Crafting the Perfect Media Statement

Ask any good reporter, and they will almost always prefer an interview over a written statement.

But if an interview with a journalist isn’t the best or safest option, Rockford Gray recommends sharing a well-crafted, impactful written media statement.

The statement can help diffuse a negative story, offer your organization’s point of view and reduce the risk of a full-blown interview. At the very least, it will provide some balance to what might be a difficult circumstance.

Unlike when we were in the newsroom, our clients are getting more and more requests from reporters to provide statements rather than taking the time to conduct an interview.

Think of a statement as soundbite that the media can’t cut off or use out of context. Here are six tips to follow when crafting a statement:

1. Keep it short. How short? No more than three concise sentences. The longer the statement, the less likely media will use it. If it’s too long, reporters will edit it and may butcher the main intent.
2. Send it before deadline. This gives a better chance reporters will use the statement in its entirety and increases the chance it will be used higher up in the story. Statements that show up in a reporter’s email after the story has been written, usually get tacked on the end, if at all.
3. Make it compelling. A blah statement doesn’t help anyone, and reporters won’t want to use it.
4. Lean toward a resolution. The media like creating drama but playing into that drama is not usually to your advantage. Take the high road and avoid the “he-said, she-said.”
5. For negative stories, employ pronouns and avoid using your organization’s name.
6. Get legal sign-off. The last thing you want is to create more controversy or legal headaches.

A well-crafted written media statement often takes thoughtful consideration. There is an art to walking the line between saying too much and saying nothing at all.

Are you weighing whether to provide media with an interview or a statement? We can help.