Top 5 Myths on Handling the Media

By Gail Downey, a no-nonsense ex BBC journalist with more than 20 years experience working in the media

Do you think you already know how to “handle the media”?  Here are the top 5 myths I’ve encountered in media training time and time again.

1.      Ask to see the questions pre-interview. Most people I train worry over the questions, but things change in an interview and it is unlikely the journalist will even have a list of questions. You might say something they deem is more interesting than the original subject so will follow that line of questioning instead. 

Of course you need to make sure you are going to be talking about the subject you agreed with the researcher pre-interview. However once the interview starts it could go anywhere. If you are doing a live broadcast there may be some breaking news and you will be asked about that so instead be prepared.

2.      Ask to see the copy before it is published. This is impractical. The journalist’s job is to pick out the more interesting bits of what you say and make that come to life. By showing you the article beforehand it is likely you will a) get upset because they haven’t used everything you wanted b) get upset because the bits they have used are the bits you didn’t want and c) just get upset.

If your key point is boring it won’t be used. Instead you will find yourself ‘taken out of context’ so prepare your quote beforehand. Be clear in your preparation on exactly what you would like to see in the article and then make that interesting.

Remember that the journalist does not have the final say on the article. It goes to a sub-editor who will then revise it and often ask him/her to make changes. This means what is published is not always what the journalist wanted either!

3.      Explain how the “system works” (off the record) to get the journalist on-side. Of course the journalist will listen politely while you reveal the details and the background to the story. Of course they won’t interrupt you. Of course they will smile and nod their head in all the right places. Of course they won’t use any of this as part of their article……..really!!! Of course they will!!

Don’t tell journalists something you don’t want them to use. People often say to me “but off the record means they can’t use it”.  Remember that you and the journalist have very different agendas, they will use whatever they think adds value to the story. Of course giving some context to the story is important. But make sure you would be happy if that context was revealed to a wider public.

4.      Tell the journalist they are asking the wrong question. This one always makes me laugh. It is usually followed up by “the question you should be asking is…” Excuse me. Who is asking the questions here? You might not like those questions. You might not like the tone in which they are asked. But how do you think the audience will feel about you when the person they invite into their homes every day (i.e. the TV/radio presenter) is criticised by you – someone they have never seen before?

When I’m told this as a journalist I know the interviewee has something to hide. The best line of defence is supposedly to go on the attack. Not in a media interview it isn’t. So rather than criticising the journalist address the question and if you want to redirect them give the interviewer something more interesting to think and ask.

5.      Keep talking so there won’t be time for the journalist to ask any questions. True. But then all the listener/viewer will have is a monologue from you. That isn’t how the media works in this country. You have to allow for questions to be asked. That is what the audience want. No-one likes to be preached at and you will come across as a bore.

If you do just want to do a monologue then hire yourself a cameraman and film editor, talk for ten minutes and put it on YouTube. You never know you might get a like from a dictator somewhere. After all they have control of their media and will be impressed you want the same.

If you recognise yourself get in touch (info@onyx-pr.com). We have some spare slots for media training in December so can offer you a great deal. If you’re feeling brave enough to face Gail!