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A TV Ambush?
IT CAN BE GOOD NEWS FOR YOU |
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A television news crew is sitting in your lobby waiting for "your side of the story." This is a time for quick, smart response rather than panic and cold sweats.
Every media interview is an opportunity to get your message out to a huge audience. This is your opportunity to shine no matter what the reason for the interview. Don't blow it.
The first rule is 'Be honest.' The media may already have the correct information and they will make you look (and feel!) guilty if you start to hedge. This can be excruciating if it happens while the television cameras are rolling.
The way to handle a media crisis is to take the following steps: Mess up. Fess up. Dress up. That means to immediately acknowledge the bad news and talk about measures that will be undertaken to ensure it is less likely to recur.
The second rule is to be cooperative while always buying yourself some time to prepare for a media interview. An impatient news crew is intruding on your day. It is reasonable to ask for 15 minutes in order to wrap up business so that you can focus on the interview. Chances are you know the subject of the story. If you don't, ask.
Use the time to prepare by checking facts, consulting with colleagues and others and rehearsing your answers to questions that can be anticipated.
Rule three is to always go into an interview prepared with key messages. These are usually confined to the three things that you want the reporter, and therefore the audience, to understand from your point of view. Make sure you put them in point form and refer to these notes while you're being interviewed.
At Reputations Corporation we have a busy media training practice, putting clients through the paces of simulated media interviews. In fact, part of Reputations' success in generating positive news coverage for clients is our ability to train clients to say what they need to in ways the media can easily absorb. When facing tough questions, it's better to squirm in our offices rather than in front of a TV camera.
About the Author:
Alyn Edwards is news director at Verus Public Relations and a 30-year veteran of print and broadcast newsrooms.
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© 2000 - 2003 Reputations Corporation
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