Media tips: a tale of two interviews

One of my pet hates is when people take two completely unconnected things and tie them into one story as if they were related. So of course this morning that's precisely what I'm going to do.

Let's start with the good. Here's Gareth Southgate, minutes after England lost to France in the World Cup.

He gets it so spectacularly right. He would have the right to be emotional - I'm no football buff but the ref blew a few key decisions (England should have had one more penalty which could have made a lot of difference) and note that Southgate politely declines to be drawn on that. He focuses on what the team has achieved and remembers to congratulate France. Nor will he be bounced into speculation about his own future, although he neatly makes it clear that it's his decision.

This is a media trained person at their best. Note there is no self-pity, a completely professional acceptance of the result regardless of how it came about and above all no dishonesty. One of the objections Clapperton Media sometimes gets to the idea of media training is that people think it aims to distort the truth, when it doesn't. It aims to offer people the chance to present their view and get it represented accurately, and yes sometimes this means knowing when to shut up. Whoever trained Gareth Southgate has done a fine job, and if he's untrained he shows a superb instinct for what needs to be said on a particular occasion and what doesn't.

Exhibit two here - select today's edition (13th December) and drag your cursor to 1 hour 49 minutes into it:

Mick Lynch, RMT leader, has done a lot of excellent interviews and I've praised him for them - but this wasn't one of them. Instead of addressing any of the substantial points about why his members were taking action and why he wasn't listening to government offers, he accuses presenter Mishal Husain of parroting the right-wing press and putting an agenda in that he would find in the Mail or Telegraph.

He sounds belligerent, he sounds as if he's steamrolling past the questions but above all he sounds as if he has failed to understand the function of an interview. If you're ever talking to the media on behalf of your business and you find the questions appear awkward or difficult, that's an opportunity. It's where you get the chance to address those issues that are going to be in the listeners' minds. The thing to do is to give yourself a second, gather your thoughts, decide where you're going to start your question and where you're going to finish and deliver a clear message. If that message is that you think the interviewer ought to show more partiality (something Lynch actually demands in this interview) then you're going to lose the audience very quickly. If the interviewer plays ball (as Lynch no doubt sees it) and doesn't ask the searching questions you have no opportunity to address them. The listeners will most likely speculate on what the actual answers might be.

New on the blog

I've been busy blogging over the last couple of weeks. The latest entry is on targeting the right outlets for your stories:

And while you're there, feel free to have a look around at the new website which seems to be going down quite well. Clapperton.co.uk for anyone who wants to have a look.

Meanwhile on the podcast

There's also a new edition of the Near Futurist podcast on the air - I interview Prof. Christoph Siemler of the University of Essex and Dr. Nicola Millard of BT on whether we're really getting a good deal out of flexible working.

And a Happy Christmas to one and all!

It's that time of year - I have heard Noddy Holder informing me IT'S CHRIIIISTMAAAS! therefore it is Christmas and I wish everyone a decent break, some family time and measured overindulgence! See you with the next of these tip sheets in January.

If you or your clients need help with media engagement and interview skills, my media training team can help - drop me a note on LinkedIn and we'll arrange to have a chat.