When a reporter calls…8 simple rules for working with the news media
Some of our clients call me in a panic when they get a call from a reporter. “What do they want? What do I say? What will they write or say about me?”
While I routinely conduct media training sessions for clients, the best message I can deliver is “Be Prepared.” You can’t control the outcome of an interview, but you can control what you say. That will influence the outcome.
Write down the messages you’d like to convey. Think of questions you’d like to be asked and those you don’t want to be asked. Prepare answers for both types of questions. Don’t read your answers during an interview, but commit the basic thought to memory.
You have rights during an interview. For example, you have the right to know who’s interviewing you and why. You have the right to know what the story is and who else will be interviewed. You also have the right to set some ground rules, such as location, time involved and the subject material about which you have knowledge.
Reporters also have rights. They have the right to accurate information. They have the right to a clear, concise statement about the impact of the story on the viewer, reader or listener. They should not be used for blatantly commercial purposes. They should not be asked to hold or suppress information, and they shouldn’t be blamed for treatment you may have received from another reporter.
Based on those rights, here are eight rules for working with the news media
- Answer the question – Give the requested information if it is available. If it is not, explain why.
- Be truthful – Give accurate information even if it does not speak well of your organization. If you try to mislead a reporter, you’ll be branded untrustworthy.
- Be concise – If you say too much, you’ll either confuse the interviewer or say something you wish you hadn’t.
- Be human – Don’t talk in jargon or words specific to your industry. Tell your story as you would to a family member. Provide human examples that support your facts.
- Provide results – Don’t get so caught up in explaining a process. The reporter wants the results. If a process is important for a reporter to know, provide a fact sheet.
- Honor deadlines – Know a reporter’s deadlines and honor them. Don’t change the rules of the game in midstream.
- Be consistent – Talk to reporters during both good and bad times. You will become a trusted, credible source and that will pay dividends in the future.
- Correct facts if necessary – If a reporter misunderstood something you said, you have the right to call and calmly explain the disputed facts. A correction may or may not be in order. However, don’t call the reporter just because you didn’t like the story. That’s petty.
One bonus tip: “No Comment” is an awful answer. It makes you look guilty. Avoid saying that at all costs.
A reporter’s job is not to help you or hurt you. They’re out to tell the facts, as seen at the time. Your job is to ensure the reporter has the facts and that you convey them as clearly as possible. Prepare yourself. Practice your answers and get feedback from co-workers or family.
An interview is your opportunity to communicate your position and tell your side of a story. Use it as an opportunity and not a chore.
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When a reporter calls…8 simple rules for working with the news media
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