| Four tips for surviving a news media interview:
Anytime you anticipate news coverage (either planned or unexpected) your actions can help control the situation. Here are some simple tips for dealing with the news media. Call us for more detailed media or crisis planning help.
1. Prepare two or three main points that you want to be sure get included in the story no matter what. Use these as touch-stones that you can "bridge" to during the interview.
2. Pause, Think, then Answer (PTA). Never rush to respond -- you can take control again once the question is completed. Pausing gives you time to think and it also shows that you are taking the question seriously. Don't be afraid of "dead air."
3. Ask the questioner to re-state the question for clarity if needed. When several questions are asked at once, insist on answering only one at a time.
4. Respond simply and directly and answer the question that was asked, then consider bridging over to your two or three prepared messages that YOU want to be sure are included.
More tips will be included in our next newsletter. |
