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Media Insight:
The art of the interview from three perspectives
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To master an interview you need to crawl into the mind of the journalist you are about to talk to, and find out what they need, and what they are looking for.
To give us some more insight Reputations talked to three journalists from three very distinct disciplines - newspaper, radio, and TV.
We asked them five questions about the interview process, and not surprisingly got very different responses from each of them.
Anne Gibbon formerly a writer with the Globe and Mail; Stirling Faux CORUS Talk Show host, and Alyn Edwards, a media trainer and former TV reporter gave us the insight that can help you get ready for your next media interview.
1. What do interviewers look for in the people they interview?
Anne Gibbon (newspaper):
I want an interviewee to have the authority to speak for the organization, access to information and knowledge about their organization. I look for articulate people whose answers tend towards the visual a metaphor. I look for people who answer directly rather than ramble and give self-serving or evasive answers. Finally I look for the NEWS.
Stirling Faux (radio):
I look first for a story or an angle that is a bit different, followed very quickly by the ability to tell that story well.
Alyn Edwards (TV):.
I look for a person who is knowledgeable about the subject, has the authority to speak about it and is well prepared to answer my question.
2. What should an interviewee expect in their first interview?
Anne Gibbon:
An interviewee should expect that very little of their interview will end up in the final product. They should also expect, to their pleasant surprise, to know more than the journalist.
Stirling Faux:
The first interview shouldn’t come with too many expectations. Just getting through it successfully should be all the interviewee can reasonably expect. Style or presentation details only begin to make sense after an interview or two.
Alyn Edwards:
The interviewee should expect unanticipated questions. They should also expect to have difficulty answering them if they are not properly prepared.
3. From your perspective, how can people better prepare to talk to you?
Anne Gibbon:
They could be more focused with what they are going to say, and be armed with facts and figures to support the interview. They could speak in simple declarative sentences - sound bites - as opposed to the jargon of their industry.
Stirling Faux:
People tend to over-prepare and they arrive so full of facts and figures that they actually forget their key messages in the process. Also, because the radio station is an alien environment for most folks, they tend to freeze up and that limits the amount of “personality” available.
Alyn Edwards:
Today, many people prepare for an interview with media training. The most common mistake that interviewers seem to see repeatedly that is overlooked by media training is a sense of passion.
4. Besides media training what is one major way to get ready for an interview?
Anne Gibbon:
Watch televised feature interviews e.g. ROBTV, 20/20 or some of the morning shows to see the techniques that journalists use. Listen to radio talk shows and so-called aggressive interviewers such as Rafe Mair if you are afraid of being interviewed and think all reporters are pit bulls. Watch/listen for how the interviewee either gains or losses control.
Stirling Faux:
If you have the opportunity, watch someone in your field, and then take the time to do so critically. Is the message clear? Does the person represent your profession well? What do you do or say different?
Alyn Edwards:
Anticipate the questions; write out the answers and practice delivering them in the most affective way.
5. Compare a good interview to a bad interview:
Anne Gibbon:
A bad interview was with a Vancouver high-tech company. The CEO’s answers were jargon-riddled and I felt both too ignorant and too time- pressed to ask for clarification on every techno-term she threw my way. It was one of the most difficult pieces I ever had to write.
A good interview was with British comic Eddie Izzard, who basically told incredibly quotable jokes during my time with him. It was a lesson for me in not interrupting when a subject is spouting one gem after another. The story wrote itself.
Stirling Faux:
A good interview occurs when the guest “gets it” or understands why he/she is there in the first place. They tell their story with accuracy, humor and confidence, and aren’t intimidated by my “alien” workplace. They let me lead and listen carefully to my questions and those of callers as well, and they answer questions to the best of their ability without droning on at length.
A bad interview is one in which the guest is so nervous or poorly prepared that they can’t seem to focus on themselves or their thought process and they do themselves or their company no service. They don’t listen to what’s being said or asked and they respond poorly to questions that surprise them. Yes I do make an effort to put my guests at ease in my studio, it’s an important part of my job, but some guests are so “freaked out” they cannot be helped to relax –that makes me nervous.
Alyn Edwards:
A good interview results in good coverage where the key messages are featured prominently in a news story.
A bad interview can either result in the individual or the organization being portrayed in a negative way of a missed opportunity to register positive messages with the public through media coverage.
Following are several links to additional web resources on media interviews:
"How to cope with the media"
http://www.warwick.ac.uk/services/publicity/radio.html
"Practical business tips to help you shine if you’re interviewed by the media"
http://www.wistaston.com/WCS/art180.htm
"How to prepare yourself for a media interview"
http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar98/prep.html
"Media that delivers the message"
http://www.dayone.com/media.html
"Interview tips for print, radio, and television"
http://www.reputations.com/newsletter/ivtips.shtml
About the Author:
Beth Mallett is an account coordinator with Reputations Corporation. A graduate from Kwantlen University's Public Relations program, she supports the Reputations team with media monitoring, conducting media research, and work on major accounts.
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© 2000 - 2003 Reputations Corporation
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