|
For additional tips on speaking with
reporters, please see "Television
Interviewing Tips."
- When a reporter calls, ask his/her
name and media affiliation. Find out what the article is about
and exactly what the reporter needs from you. If you want more
information about a story before responding to a request for an
interview, contact the Public
Relations Office at (601) 974-1034. We will contact the reporter
for you and get the information you need. As well, if you are
uneasy about responding to a reporter's questions, let the Office
of Public Relations know, and we'll be happy to help. In some
cases, we may recommend that a college spokesperson publicly address
a sensitive matter.
- Have a specific message and always
think before you speak. Prepare a few message points and practice
different ways of reiterating those points. During interviews,
people tend to ramble and end up saying something they wish they
hadn't. Having your message points handy will ensure that you
get your point across.
- Don't race: speak slowly, in short,
concise sentences. State your position in simple, easy-to-understand
language. Use everyday examples and analogies when appropriate.
- If you feel unprepared to answer
a reporter's question, say so. If you need a quick break to collect
your thoughts, tell the reporter you will call him/her back in
fifteen minutes. Take the time to think about how you want to
respond, and then follow through with your promise to provide
expert comments.
- Remember, there is nothing wrong
whatsoever with saying that you do not know the answer to a reporter's
question. Unless you are positive that the information is correct,
do not offer it. Reporters have no problem with a source saying
that he or she is unsure of something. They do, however, have
a problem with a source saying something that is later determined
incorrect. You will lose all credibility with the reporter, and
very likely the reporter will share the experience with his/her
colleagues.
- Respect reporters' deadlines. Please
return all calls from the media and the Public Relations Office
promptly, particularly in the case of television journalists who
are working on very tight deadlines. If they are calling to give
a subject near and dear to you (like your department or event)
some nice coverage, you may miss your opportunity by waiting even
an hour.
- Anticipate questions the reporter
may ask and think about your answers. If the reporter frames his/her
questions in a negative way, be sure to state your position in
positive terms. If the questions are ones you'd prefer not to
respond to, address them briefly and then move on to what you
do want to say.
- Avoid using "no comment." If you
think it would not be an appropriate time to answer a reporter's
questions, explain why you are not able to give an answer and
ask if there is any other way in which you could be helpful. "No
comment" often comes across as an admission of guilt in the public
arena.
- Avoid speaking "off the record."
Promises from reporters to keep information off the record are
routinely broken. If you don't want a statement quoted, then don't
make it.
- Don't expect a reporter to show
you a story before publication; it conflicts with journalistic
ethics and professionalism. If you are concerned that the journalist
hasn't understood your point, ask him/her to repeat your words
back to you.
- Above all, be honest. Never try
to mislead a reporter. If the reporter later discovers that you
fudged on the truth, he/she will let the public know about it.
Return
to faculty/staff media center.
|
