First of all (and probably most importantly), journalists are human beings, not alien monsters. They are as dependent on you for good stories as you are on them. If a journalist asks you for a quote or an explanation about some aspect of your project, make certain your facts are absolutely accurate and correct before replying. Don’t respond impulsively or be guided into saying something controversial, or agreeing with a statement whose accuracy you are uncertain of. Try to visualise how your words will appear in print. Do you really want to be portrayed in your local newspaper as Mr or Mrs Angry? Think before you speak. If you’re in doubt, or if you would like time to reflect on the matter before giving a quote, arrange to telephone the reporter back as quickly as possible with a suitable response.
Television and radio interviews can be very nerve-wracking but they are a wonderfully effective way of publicising your project or event. Be prepared, if you have already issued a news release, re-read it and remember the main points. If you are on the radio, of course, you can have the news release handy to refer to and use other brief notes. Just make sure you don’t turn any pages, as the noise will be picked up on the microphone. Decide what are the most important messages and what you will say to get them across to your audience. Think about your audience you are addressing and try to relate what you are saying to their interests. This will depend on who the programme or radio show is aimed at. Finally, remember that on radio and especially television, you will be interviewed for only a very short time. Usually you will only get a few minutes to get your message over. So, remember the main message and the most important points and don’t waffle. If you talk for 10 minutes in a pre-recorded interview, the 30 second clip that is eventually broadcast may contain none of your main points – so keep your answers as consise as possible to maximise the chances of them using the bits you want them to.
