Ten DOs and Ten DON'Ts for handling media interviews
First, an introduction:
When a reporter calls you, your job is to be clear and concise and accurate and interesting.
It can be a little scary, true, but bear this in mind: You have information the reporter needs – or they wouldn't be calling you. You control the information. You control how much of it you will give, and how credibly. To a large degree, you also have control over how well the reporter understands it – through your preparation and your presentation.
After you say good bye, the reporter and his or her editors control the final product, in print, on the air, or on the web. You are then in their hands – but how they treat you depends in large part on how you conducted your end of the process.
Important: The reporter is not your public relations agent or your friend. But neither is he or she an enemy. Really, you have a professional business relationship.
One more thing: You would not ask a public relations consultant for legal advice. In the same vein, don't count on your lawyer for good PR advice! Consult both if you need to, but accept that the PR consultant is an expert as well.
Now here are some condensed DOs and DON'Ts to help you conduct your relationship with the media positively and well.
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