1. What is media training?

2. Goals To understand the importance of media interviews
To understand how to prepare for a media interview
To be able to recognize types of questions that could be difficult to handle
To understand how best to answer media questions by media type
To understand how to keep the upper hand in an interview

3. Know your media
Establish a trust relationship with all local media; don’t wait until a crisis or when you need something
Know how each media works, its deadlines, limitations AND how/where it excels
Be accessible 24/7

4. Understanding print media
Newspapers are permanent and tangible
Stories tend to be long, fact- and detail-filled
Photos help tell the story
The local daily is your vital link to community (taxpayers/voters/business leaders)

5. Newspapers Publishers - editor - reporter - copy editor
Editor, managing editor, city desk editor, section editors
Specific beat reporters:
Higher ed, science, health, arts, agriculture, business, K-12, Statehouse, sports;
Columnists, editorial writers

6. Television media
News director - assignment editor - reporter - photographer - anchor
Putting stories together mainly in afternoon
May have 4 or 5 newscast deadlines
Reporters most often are generalists
Stories are usually 1:15 to 1:45 minutes

7. Radio media News director/ reporter Have deadlines throughout the day
Trend is to consolidation and less local news
Stories are usually less than :45
Make your ‘soundbite’ count

8. Planning an interview

9. What should I know? Don’t do the interview on-the-spot
Get help, find out background, make talking points
Understand your medium
Will it be taped or live?
How long will the interview be?
When is the reporter’s deadline?
What is this story about (angle)?

10. Plan your interview Key messages: 1. 2. 3.
Supporting facts and anecdotes: A. B. C.

11. More interview planning
Key Messages:
1. We must bolster our best programs
2. All our programs are high-quality
Supporting facts and anecdotes:
A. can’t be all things to all people
B. only so much funds
C. competing nationally
A. nationally ranked research university
B. halo effect

12. Anticipate Questions
Tailor key messages

13. The interview Formulate key messages = write them down
PRACTICE delivering key points and answering ‘worst possible’ questions.
Prepare background, gather educational materials
Get backup if needed (PR sit in?)

14. The interview Recognize potentially hazardous questions
Speculative questions:
“IF this happens, what will you do?”
“IF he had died, would it have been worse?”

15. The interview Leading questions
“Aren’t you upset about the budget cut?”
“Don’t you think this could have been handled in a more up-front manner?”

16. The interview Loaded questions
“I’ve heard parents say the school board purposely set the qualifications for free busing so that almost no one would qualify. How do you respond to that?”

17. The interview
Silence

18. The interview Labeling
“Wouldn’t it be fair to characterize the new budget as monstrous in size and an imposition on taxpayers?”

19. The interview
Naïve
“I really don’t know what to ask, so just tell me about you and about your business.”

20. The interview
Chummy
“Just between you and me, what do you really think of the new board member?”

21. The interview False statements
“Since it looks like the building costs are going to be 10 percent over budget, what changes will have to be made?”

22. The interview Know-it-all
“I’m about done with this story, actually, but I just wanted to get a couple of comments from you.”

23. The interview Good-byes
“Now that we’re done with the interview, what are your personal views about this?”

24. The interview
Be concise
Soundbites average 7 seconds

25. The interview How should I look? Check the mirror
Dress professionally and comfortably
Maintain eye contact
Don’t rock, roll or swivel

26. The interview Think before you speak Speak slowly but naturally
How should I answer?
Think before you speak
Speak slowly but naturally
Avoid jargon, “bureaucrat-eze”
Avoid speaking parenthetically, double-negatives
Always tell the truth
… then stop talking

27. Question-answering techniques
Q: Did you use public funds to buy pizza for your staff?
A: “I bought pizza with city funds but it was to reward the staff for hundreds of hours of extra work they did without pay.”
‘Bridge’ to positive key messages

28. Question-answering techniques
The best answer to an ‘A’ or ‘B’ question is often ‘C’
Q: Is that stealing money or just exploiting a loophole in the law?
A: “I was pleased to be able to recognize employees for volunteering to help get the job done.”

29. Question-answering techniques
Don’t repeat back an offensive statement or unfair language
Q: So, you’re a dirty rotten thief?
A: No.
(Not, “ I am not a thief.”)

30. Question-answering techniques
Bad question… turn the tables.
Q: Did you misuse taxpayer dollars?
A: The real question is: do employees deserve to be recognized for a job well done? I think this is one way we can keep our best employees from leaving for higher paying jobs.

31. Other things to remember
Nothing is ‘off the record.’
When you finish answering, stop talking
Never say ‘No comment.’
Instead, explain why you can’t answer the question.
Q: When will Professor Jones be fired for his felony arrest?
A: “While we can’t talk about specific personnel issues, our policy is to review each case after it is handled by the judicial system.”

35. Other things to remember
Ask for feedback.
When you make a mistake, say so.
It’s okay to ask for another ‘take’ in a recorded interview.

36. Opportunities
How making friends with, and serving the media is in your best interest

37. Ideas to ‘serve’ print media
Keep PR ideas in mind
News releases
Editorial visits
Write op-eds and letters-to-editor
Be generous with story ideas… be proactive. Offer ideas. Don’t just react.

38. Ideas to ‘serve’ broadcast media
Talk shows: Go live
Long form interviews, radio/TV if possible
Help get something visual or audio for their stories

39. Plan your interview Key messages: 1. 2. 3.
Supporting facts and anecdotes: A. B. C.

40. Plan your interview Key messages: 1. 2. 3.
Supporting facts and anecdotes: A. B. C.