Media interviews – remember to ask beforehand:
- Who is calling
- Where they’re calling from
- What they want to talk about and why they’re calling you
- If it’s broadcast, whether the interview is live or pre-recorded
- Whether it is in a studio or elsewhere
- Who will do the interview
- Who else is being interviewed with you (it might be someone from DADID or Dignity in Dying)
Media interviews – Do
- Spend a few minutes thinking through, or talking to someone else about, the main issues. Use the opportunity to read through the NDY briefing materials
- Leave yourself plenty of time to get to the venue, if you need to get somewhere
- Ask what the first question will be
- Have in your head three main points you want to make
- Make your three points simply and positively
- If it’s TV, ‘ook at the interviewer, not the camera or microphone
- Be passionate about what you’re saying
Media interviews – Don’t:
- Be late!
- Fail to return promised calls
- Go off the record, unless you trust the journalist
- Think you’re not being recorded
- Wear checks, stripes, sunglasses or loud colours
- Wear leather coats or noisy jewellery
- Fidget – it looks and sounds bad
- Worry about silences – it’s their job to fill them, not yours
- Answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ – use the opportunity to steer things
Other things to remember…
- ‘I don’t know’ is fine – you don’t have to be an expert on everything
- Be decisive about interruptions – it can look and sound bad
- Avoid waffle
- Good manners tends to win friends more than confrontations, but don’t be afraid to be assertive and clear.
Changing the subject
An interview is an opportunity to tell the world about what you’re doing and why it is important. Sometimes, however, interviews can end up being frustrating because the interviewer doesn’t cover the areas you want then to. Don’t forget, interviewers may know very little about the subject they’re talking to you about. That gives you the opportunity to steer things the way you want them to go.
Here are some ways you can take control of an interview:
- ‘What I think is interesting…’
- ‘I’m not sure, but the most important thing here is…’
- ‘That’s not the point – what we should be looking at is…’
- ‘There has been some discussion about that but…’
OR
- ‘I really don’t agree…’
- ‘Some may have that view – I don’t…’
- ‘That really is nonsense…