- Never lie: You may get away with it for a while, but sooner or later, you’ll be caught.
- Be careful what you say: As a general rule, never tell a reporter anything you wouldn’t want to see reported on the evening news or printed on the front page of your local newspaper. Remember, if you tell a reporter something that is newsworthy, his or her job is to report it.
- Be a "teacher": Help the reporter understand your topic. By helping a reporter understand your issue, you'll dramatically reduce the chances of a bad or inaccurate story. This will enhance the chances that the reporter will seek you out on future stories as well.
- Make absolutely sure you understand a reporter’s question before responding: If you’re unsure about what a reporter is asking, don’t be afraid to say so, and then ask him or her to repeat or rephrase the question.
- If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so: Don’t try to bluff your way through an interview; you could end up looking like a fool or a liar. There’s nothing wrong with telling a reporter that you don’t know the answer to a question – or that you’ll get back to him or her later with the desired information. If you tell a reporter you’ll get back to him or her, ask when their deadline is and make sure you meet it.
- Keep your answers short and to the point: Remember, the typical TV or radio sound bite is about ten seconds or 25 words, so pack your messages into short, colorful and memorable quotes. The more you ramble, the greater the chance that your message will be lost or diluted. And be specific, not vague - otherwise, it will sound like you’re avoiding the question. See the section on "Before the Interview" for tips on how to prepare your answers.
- Personalize your story: If the issue directly affects you, include this in your message. If the issue is loss of jobs due to decrease in fish populations, say so: "As an unemployed commercial fishermen…" Other examples include: "As a member of a tribe dependant on the fishery…" "As a recreational rafter…" "As a mother concerned about water quality…" etc.
- Be clear and concise: If a reporter rephrases your comment inaccurately or tries to "put words in your mouth," quickly respond with a clear, concise statement of exactly what you mean. Don’t accept unfamiliar facts or figures. You can start your response with: "I'm not familiar with that, however, I would like to respond to your main question..." If you know that the facts or figures are correct, don’t pretend to be ignorant. If the facts or figures are wrong, correct them immediately.
- Repeat your key messages throughout the interview: If you stick only to your key message points, the reporter will have no choice but to include them in his or her story. Don’t just answer the reporter’s questions, use them as a bridge to the points you want to cover. To get back to the story you want to tell, use transitions like "that’s a good question, but remember ...," "before we move on, I just want to add..." or "I can't stress enough the importance of ..."
- Keep control of the interview: Even though you’re not the one asking the questions, your answers can help lead the reporter back to the main points you want to make. You may want to think of it as gracefully answering the question you were supposed to be asked instead of the question you were asked. For more on this refer to the Personal example boxed text below.
- Don’t use a reporter’s negative word or phrase as part of your answer: Always restate a negative or hostile question in positive terms when you respond. For example, if a reporter asks if you are locking up land, don’t respond by saying "We aren’t locking up land." Instead, say "We are protecting our last wilderness and wild rivers from logging, illegal dirt bike use and other threatening activities – to preserve our wild heritage for future generations."
- Use hostile questions as a bridge to areas you want to discuss: Always keep returning to your key message points during an interview. And state them as positively and persuasively as possible. You can also diffuse hostile questions by saying something like "It may seem that way, but let me tell you how it really is from my experience."
- Use common words, not insider jargon: To help reporters and their audience understand your story, speak in their language, not yours. Using terms like acre-feet, c.f.s., riparian, and anadramous will lose most audiences in a hurry. Instead, refer to 1000 acre feet as "enough water to flood 1,000 football fields a foot under water" or riparian habitat as "the plants and animals that live along rivers."
- Use statistics sparingly: If a dramatic statistic will help illustrate your point, use it. But don’t swamp a reporter and the audience in a sea of numbers – you’ll only confuse them. Use stories, anecdotes and your personal experiences to help explain your point – they’re more memorable than most statistics.
- Don't try to limit a reporter’s questions: One oil company executive once agreed to a network interview only on the condition that he not be asked to comment on allegations that his Houston refinery was polluting the ship canal to Galveston Bay. Once he was on camera, with his refinery puffing away in the background, the first question the reporter asked was: "Why didn’t you want us to ask you about your refinery’s impact on the ship canal?" (From "The Executive’s Guide to Handling a Press Interview," Martin, page 15)
- Feel free to ask for a second take: If you get tongue twisted or misspeak, as long as you are not on a live broadcast you can relax. Simply tell the reporter that your statement did not come out as intended and you would like to restate your answer. If you think of a better response to a question that was posed earlier in the interview, you can ask the reporter if you can restate your answer for the camera or microphone.
Remember that a media interview is not a conversation
Be on guard and keep focused throughout your interview. Don’t let a reporter lull you into a false sense of security. Reporters talk to you because they want a story, not because they want to be your friend.
Personal example
I was working with a local citizens group to organize a protest against a USDA sponsored biotech conference. The protests were held to highlight the dangers of industrial agriculture and genetically engineered foods. The press was very interested in stories about all the "anarchists" that were allegedly coming to "burn down the city." We did not want the story to be about anarchists, but about the issues of industrial agriculture and genetically engineered foods. During an interview a local radio reporter repeatedly asked if we had told the anarchists "not to come." I answered at least three times during the interview that "we hoped everyone concerned with the way their food is grown would come and protest." After the interview, when the microphones were turned off, I explained to the reporter that I didn’t know who the anarchists were nor did I think they were the real issue. That evening the quote I repeated three times was the soundbite used on his report.
Remember Mark Twain’s advice
"Never get into an argument with people who buy their ink by the barrel." Don’t be afraid to set the record straight or challenge a reporter’s wrong assumptions. But remember that you can disagree without becoming disagreeable. State your case calmly and reasonably. Be firm, not combative. And never lose your temper.
To summarize everything in this section
Don’t answer a reporter’s questions, respond to them: Every time you speak to a reporter whether it’s a print, TV or radio reporter, consider it an opportunity to move your message. It’s not about telling the reporter what you think he or she wants to hear or addressing the comments of your opponents. It is about responding to the reporter’s question with your message. A good example is the activist who was asked her age and she responded with, "I’m 42 years old and like many people in their forties I’m concerned with…" The activist answered the reporter’s question, but also used the occasion to respond and advance her message. (paraphrased from Spin Works!)
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