Alternatives to "No Comment": Navigating Sensitive Questions in Media Interviews

Have you ever found yourself in a media interview and not knowing how to respond to a sensitive question? It's tempting to just say "no comment," but this response is often misinterpreted as guilt or omission by the media.

I learned this lesson the hard way when I was in an interview with one of my executives. The reporter asked a question and my executive responded with "no comment." The reporter got tense and asked if there was actually a comment, but my executive didn't know what to say.

The truth is, saying "no comment" is not the only way to handle tricky questions in an interview. There are other alternatives that convey the same message while being honest and authentic. For example, you can say "I actually don't know the answer to that. Can I get back to you?" or "I'm sorry, but I'm not able to answer that question at this time. Can I get back to you on that?"

Remember, being able to navigate through sensitive questions is a foundational know-how in the PR industry. I encourage you to try these alternatives the next time you find yourself in a tricky interview.?#PRtips?#mediarelations?#comment?#media?#pr?#interview?#no_comment