Transcript Presentation: The Art of a Media Interview

Working with the Media
The Art of a Media Interview
“Techniques to Hook, Bridge and Flag”
Presented By:
Kelly Loussedes
Vice President of Public Relations
October 29, 2008
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Tips for Newspaper Interviews
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First Question -- When is your deadline?
 Buy prep time
 Establish “interview setting”
– Clear your desk
– Close the door
Use prepared notes – sound bytes on NAHU
website
 Keep message points in front of you
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Interview Tips (con’t)
Speak clearly and concisely – be able to explain
your story in a few brief sentences.
 Present your conclusion first. This sounds odd,
but your time talking with a reporter will be
limited, you need to assert the main point first and
then support the statement with facts.
 Be honest. If you don’t know something the
reporter asks, don’t guess. Tell him or her you
will get back to him promptly with the correct
information.
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Interview Tips (con’t)
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Never speak off the record. Assume everything
you say will be reported, whether it’s before,
during, or after an interview.
 Make sure that what you tell the reporter is what
you want to see in print.
 Most reporters will not allow you to see the article
before it goes to print. Always invite the reporter
to call you for more information or clarification.
The Art of “Bridging”
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A bridging statement is simply a transition from
one topic (based on a reporter's question) to a
subject you want to talk about (your message).
 You should answer the question as briefly as
possible, and then bridge to your message.
Sometimes you are introducing your message for
the first time, while other times you are
reinforcing it.
Bridging Examples
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Here are some examples of bridging
statements that will effectively help you
stay on message:
– The fact is …
– What I recommend people do is ...
– Let me re-emphasize something I said earlier
about ...
– That's why it is important to ...
Interviews Gone Astray

Sometimes you need to abruptly change the
direction of the interview. Perhaps the reporter
has wandered into a different direction, or is
touching on a controversial issue, and you want
to get back on message.
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Here are some bridging statements you can use:
–
–
The question that you should ask is ...
The real issue here is ...
Bridging Tips
The First Question Rule: Take Control
 You can begin your answer with a “bridge” such as:
“Mike, that’s a great question. Let’s take a step back
and look at some important information. I’d like to give
you some history….”
 Then deliver your message.
NEVER ANSWER A HYPOTHETICAL QUESTION!
 A journalist might try to get an interesting story by
leading you into a “what if” scenario. Never speculate.
Instead, bridge to one of your core messages with:
– That’s too hypothetical at this point, but….
– I don’t want to speculate on that, but what I think
you’re trying to get at is….
The “Hook”

The Hook is a technique that gets the interviewer
to follow-up on your first point allowing you to
get a second point in.
 For example, you can say, “There are two very
important considerations that must be taken into
account before we can support this proposed
health care policy. The first is . . . “ then expand
on that point.
 The interview will seem incomplete if the reporter
doesn’t follow-up with, “and the second point?”
This is a good way to ensure that both your points
get air time.
Flagging

Flagging alerts the reporter to what you consider
most important. It’s a good way to emphasize the
key point or points you want the reporter to
remember.

Flagging is simply giving the reporter a verbal
clue about what is important:
–
–
–
–
What your audience needs to know is …
What I want to be sure you understand here is. .
The critical point is….
If there’s one point viewers need to understand….
Be Prepared!
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Consider your Messages -– Review sound bites and quotable phrases
– Facts and statistics
– Examples
– Analogies
Be ready to speak in layman’s terms — no jargon.
Project Positive Energy -– You’re glad to be here
– You’re interested in your audience
– You have knowledge you want to convey
Ten Tips
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Use simple, direct answers
Repeat messages
Pause
Don’t over answer: make point, stop talking
Avoid jargon
Listen, don’t interrupt
Stay in your zone of expertise
Don't get angry
Never say “off the record” or “no comment”
Don’t say it if you don’t want to see it