How to handle the media – Part 3

First published on WalesBusiness.org

This week we have the third and final instalment of our series on handling the media.

There are a number of interview styles. Most common, is the pre-recorded ‘news’ style interview on location. This will be snipped into a couple of 10 second ‘sound bites.’ ‘Remote’ interviews, with you alone in a studio somewhere else, are also widely used. They are often live and rarely more than 90-120 seconds long. For this scenario focus your eyes on the camera lens and pretend it’s a person. Look interested throughout. React, nod and shake your head just as you would in a normal interview.

Radio is different. Radio is a one-to-one conversation with a listener at home or in a car. With no pictures, all the listener can judge you by is your voice. The three usual radio interviews are: in a studio, by telephone line, or via a reporter with a tape recorder. Make sure you can hear the presenter.

The phone-in: a phone-in means speaking live to your key audience. You may have more airtime than usual, but it can be fraught with danger, especially if you are asked questions for which you are unprepared. Maybe a caller has a genuine grievance. You can always suggest a point is followed up after the show.

Once seated for an interview you may be asked a random question for a ‘sound level check’. If you can, ask the interviewer what their first question is likely to be. Then:

• Maintain a conversational style
• Avoid a quarrel. Attack the issue, not the interviewer
• Get your main point in early
• Stick to your planned agenda
• Look them in the eye
• Put everything into context
• Don’t use notes (on TV)
• Smile but beware of jokes
• Be sympathetic, enthusiastic and brief
• Don’t ever, ever, walk out

When it comes to interviews with the print media, and before you overreact to a negative story in the press, consider the following formula for newspaper impact:

• On average, only 10 per cent of a newspaper’s circulation will read any one particular story in the paper. Some don’t read the paper at all on some days and most people skip read, selecting items of interest;
• On average, of those who read a particular story, most will remember only 10 per cent of the content.

This means that an average article in a newspaper with a circulation of 100,000 will only be read by 10,000 people and only 1,000 will remember what they read.

There is also research which shows that, even when awareness is created, attitudes do not necessarily change and, furthermore, when attitude change occurs, it does not necessarily lead to behavioural change. So, even if 1,000 people remember what they read in the newspaper, only a small percentage of these will change their attitude because of the information and even fewer will change their buying behaviour.

When the media do come through to you, there are certain things you have to bear in mind. The oft-quoted KISS formula, or ‘Keep It Simple Stupid,’ is critical in media interviews. You need to remember that, even if your topic is complex, the media’s job is to explain it to a mass audience. Techno-babble and professional mumbo-jumbo such as legalese will not used by the media except in the specialist technical columns of trade journals.

Many interviewees believe it is friendly and a sign of their status or familiarity with the journalist to address an interviewer by name. They respond: “Yes, John. The answer to that is . . .” or “No, Jane, our company is not polluting the river.” You are not talking to the interviewer during interviews, you are talking to the audience who may not see or even hear the interviewer. The interviewer is really only a conduit to the audience.

There are three other vital ingredients of all media interviews – honesty, sincerity and compassion or empathy. You should always be honest with the media. That does not mean that you have to tell journalists everything. But you should tell the truth in what you do say. Also, you should not be evasive in answering questions.

Avoid sarcastic responses such as, “As I already told you, …” in answering repeated questions. The journalist is simply doing his or her job. Don’t be affronted by journalists’ assumption that you may be lying. Unfortunately, journalists are lied to every day. It is part of a journalist’s job to play the role of the ‘devil’s advocate’. If you play it straight with journalists, most will soon recognise your honesty and relax their cynicism.

Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know. There will be times when you don’t have the answer. Under no circumstances should you try to bluff your way through with the media. Just be honest and say, “I don’t know.” If the information is important to the story, offer to find out and get back to him or her as quickly as possible.

Enthusiasm is a common by-product of sincerity. If you really believe in something, you become enthusiastic about it – and enthusiasm is a positive element in interviews. Enthusiasm is contagious. If you are enthusiastic, even cynical journalists will be at least a little affected by your energy and belief.

And enthusiasm is often catching for the audience. Your enthusiasm should not be ‘over the top’. Gushing propaganda and hype are not welcomed by the news media. But, you don’t have to be wooden either. When you have genuine enthusiasm or even passion for your subject, don’t be afraid to let it show.

When you incorporate these basic ingredients into your media interviews – being readily accessible, speaking briefly, using simple language that ordinary people can understand and displaying honesty, sincerity and enthusiasm – you become recognised by the media as ‘good talent’.

‘Talent’ is a trade term which the media, particularly radio and television, use for all interviewees and commentators. Journalists gravitate towards ‘talent’ who they know can perform, so your ambition should be to earn their recognition as good talent, as this will open up many interview opportunities for you and your company.