Talking With The Media

There is still nothing that ups the reach of television media. The following are suggestions I gave to a female executive prior to her national exposure in the United States.


Wardrobe
Solid colors are best for shirts and blouses.
Pure white is bad for TV cameras – under bright lights it tends to “bloom” and the camera adjusts to keep it under control, which can make your skin appear the wrong color.
Tiny prints should be avoided because they can “shimmer” and make even older model TV sets buzz.
Some suggested colors are light and medium blues, yellows, cream, and olives.
Jewel-toned blouses are great such as pinks, reds, fuchsia and orange.
Don’t wear colors that blend with the walls.

Makeup
Use Clean & Clear oil absorbing sheets to get rid of any potential shine.
Pressed Powder (warm beige)
Bronzer
Under eye-concealer (yellowish shades are most –effective – regardless of your skin tone)
Vaseline on teeth so they don’t stick to lips

Background
Try to cover your office walls with job-related artifacts or art work just to avoid that bare wall look.

Questions
Some key questions you may want to be prepare an answer for:
• Describe your job in 2-3 sentences?
• Do you have a story to tell about your job in 1-2 paragraphs?
• What are some of the changes in people’s lives you have seen at your center?

When Answering:
Don't look into the camera - Instead, look at whoever is talking. Avoid the temptation to look at the monitor or acknowledge other distractions out of camera range.

And remember: you are always potentially on camera, even if someone else is talking. TV Director's love "reaction shots" of your expression or body language.

What to say when you don't know - Don't be afraid to say you don't know. There will be times when you don't have the answer. If the information is important to the story, offer to find out and get back to him or her as quickly as possible.

Flag key points. When you’re speaking, use “flags” to signal key points. Let the reporter know you’re about to make a main point by flagging it with a phrase such as, “the key point is …” or “the important thing to remember is …” This helps ensure that reporters won’t miss your key points while making notes about something less important you just said.

Use bridges to take control of the interview - Bridging" creates a transition so that you can move from one subject to the message you want to communicate. First answer the direct question, then transition to your message. Examples of bridging phrases are:

What's important to remember, however . . .
What that means is . . .
That's a good point, but I think you'd be interested in knowing . . .
Let me put that in perspective . . .
Use metaphors. Use metaphors, stories and anecdotes to illustrate and simplify your points. These give the reporters something to “hang their hats on” and make for good sound bytes with the broadcast media.

Avoid jargon. When speaking with reporters or the lay public, avoid the use of industry jargon and acronyms. Your mission is to convey information. If your listeners have to decipher industry-speak, you’ll momentarily lose their attention and they may miss a key message.

Be ready to go off-topic. During the interview, don’t be surprised if a reporter asks something totally unrelated to the subject at hand, but still involving your field. They don’t do this to trip you up but merely because they cover your field and are interested in everything related to it. They may also be working on their next story.

Inject some life into the interview: Every journalist wants a lively, thought-provoking interview. Develop memorable quotes that will bring your message to life. For example, you may use an analogy to illustrate numbers or a comparison: “It would be comparable to an ant being able to lift an elephant.” People can immediately conjure a picture of your point. Develop classic, thoughtful quotes that will endure. Be a valuable, lively source of information and this interview will lead to others.

If for some reason the reporter is testy, the best way to deal with this is composure, kindness and statements like "I understand your concern. Honestly, ..."

Smile and have fun! A media interview and resulting story gives you a chance to inform the public and your supporters. It is a very meaningful experience.