For good or ill, the media are vastly powerful. Television, radio and print shape mass perception of the world we live in. The media entertain and inform. They offer a never-ending stream of information about areas of mass interest.
- Those areas fall into four main categories of media coverage:
- Breaking news ("Cancer-Causing Gene Discovered").
- Human Interest ("Quadruplets Survive").
- Trends ("Attorneys Trade Law Books For CD Rom).
- Controversy ("Gun Control: Has The Smoke Cleared?").
Regardless of a story's category, the reporter has to make it instantly clear and relevant to a mass audience, while presenting an objective, "both sides interpretation.
Your success as a media source - an expert called in to add credibility and balance to a story - will depend upon how well you tell your story. Telling it well is to do exactly what the reporter does: make it clear, relevant and objective. (Its also important to remember that your role is limited to your area of expertise. Responsibility for telling the entire story belongs to the reporter.)
PREPARING TO BE INTERVIEWED
Interviewing reporters have an agenda: either they're gathering information to create a story, or they're gathering quotes to support a story they've already scripted. If they're doing research, your conversation with them will be a true, open-ended dialogue. If a tight deadline forces them to pre-script a story, they'll want quotes from you that corroborate one of their points, or add depth to an aspect of the larger issue.
In the latter case, look for cues telling you what a reporters slant is. When, for instance, one says, "But what about..." he or she is looking to you for a "quotable quote," something that will immediately capture the essence of a point their story is being shaped to make.
Knowing reporters are doing this can increase the likelihood of your quote being used in the final edit. Its a good idea to simply ask what they're looking for. Say something like, "Are you looking for me to address/support a particular perspective, here?"
If you don't agree with that perspective, don't argue (you're their ally). Instead, suggest, "Another issue you might want to look at is..." Or say, "Yes, that's true, but...'
MESSAGE POINTS
Even though you need to help reporters tell the story they want to tell, it is still important to have your own agenda. Before the pre-interview (above) pick three to five simple message points and write them down.
Try to confine each to a brief descriptive phrase, five to 10 words long. Most specialists find it painful to simplify their knowledge so drastically. But that is what the mass media demand. The language of television, radio and print is not professional jargon. Your most important job is translating what you know into ordinary everyday language.
It's equally important to shape each message for quotability. Quotable (quotes are short, crystal clear, and carry a "spin" that makes them memorable (negotiation defined as "letting the other person have your way").
EXAMPLES AND STATISTICS
As an expert in your field, you have instant credibility. But if you cite statistics, perhaps from a national organization, your credibility will be enhanced.
It will seem as though you and the organization are making a point. Anecdotal illustrations can underscore the real-life meaning of your message. They help people understand how your information affects them, if only indirectly.
AREAS OF CONTROVERSY
Be prepared to answer questions about difficult aspects of your expertise. Or prepare to skirt them without looking evasive.
Put answers to tough questions into a few simple message points that you are prepared to stick to, no matter what. If you are pressed by a reporter, use the tactic politicians use - the "block and bridge" approach.
First block the question by saying, "That's an interesting point. It's certainly on everyone's mind." Then create a bridge over it by saying, "The underlying issue, though, is . . .'
Avoid saying the infamous "No comment." You will seem to be hiding something. If you are pressured, say something like, "I cannot discuss (don't really feel comfortable discussing) that issue, at this time, but I can tell you that. . ."
LEAD THE INTERVIEW
The reporter may have responsibility for the entire story, but you can still control your part of it, if you use the power of beginnings and endings.
Begin your statement with a "block and bridge" that steers conversation into one of your message points, and end with the point you want to make next. Invariably the reporter will ask a question about that very point.
Practice your interview technique. Role play with a colleague to develop fluency. But don't just do it once and decide that's enough. Keep it up for a month or more, until it becomes "second nature."
Be genuine, be sincere. Don't say things you don't mean in an interview. Stick with what you truly believe, and what you really know. This will come across loud and clear to reporters, and they'll trust you. When they're working on other stories, they will be more likely to call for your input.
TV AND RADIO
Study the show - watch or listen to it - at least three times before your interview.
See your appearance on TV or the radio as a good conversation between you and the host. You're there to convey what you know, that the audience may not. It's that simple. Role playing - practicing the conversational mode - before your interview, can help you feel calm enough to respond in a relaxed but informative manner.
On TV, body language communicates subliminally to the viewing audience. It's best to find a comfortable sitting position that puts you in a state of relaxed alertness. Use facial and hand gestures for emphasis, but don't use them in an overly forceful manner - no pounding the armrest.
If it's the first time you've been interviewed on TV, look at the host instead of the camera. (Even if the camera appears to be on someone else, act as if you're on camera; there may be other active cameras you're not aware of.)
Wear dark, solid colors to accommodate the limited definition of TV cameras. But do provide contrast, don't be monochromatic. A darker suit jacket with a white or light-colored shirt or blouse will show up well.
Women may need more makeup to compensate for bright studio lights. Men will need to shave just before tile show.
Additional points: Don't say anything to the host off-camera that you wouldn't want to say on-camera. If you're asked to do a microphone test before the show, spell your name so they know how to spell your name on the screen. Before leaving the station, find out when the show will air. Videotape it, and study your performance. (Some stations will make you a courtesy copy of your appearance, if you provide them with a VHS tape at the time of your interview.)
BE TIMELY
Reporters work under tight deadlines. If you're called by a print reporter, call back as soon as possible (but prepare your message points first). As the interview ends, be sure to get the reporter's name, the name of the publication, and when the article will run.
If you're happy with the piece when it appears, and receive position feedback about it from others, send a brief "thank you" note to tell the reporter that others have commented favorably. Reporters appreciate praise, too. (But, if you're unhappy with the interview, don't send a letter of condemnation. Just let it slide.)
One final tip: offering to send reporters additional information about your topic can build a relationship that may lead to more interviews, or TV/radio appearances.
CRISIS COMMUNICATION
If you, or your firm. face a crisis the media have picked up, here are some points to remember:
- Respond quickly and honestly. It's always better to admit a mistake, or address a problem situation, but prepare your statements first. If you get calls before being prepared, you can say you'll release a statement in 20 minutes (or however long it will take you to gather information).
- Choose one spokesperson. To control the "damage," let one person do the media relations. This will help avoid leaks that could be costly to your firm's image.
- Consider a one-shot deal If you provide all the available information at once, it is likely to be covered once, then buried by the next day's news. It may be less painful this way. Old news is usually forgotten in 24 hours.
- As a last resort, "lock out' information. While it's usually better to respond to media requests for information, there are times when issuing a simple statement is better than granting interviews.
But consider this: If you tell the media nothing, they may decide to dig deeper, hoping for a more sensationalistic story.
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF THE LEGAL INTELLIGENCER