Media training & bridging techniques
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How to work with the media. Media training conducted in 2015 for Masters in Public Health (MPH) students at Eastern Virginia Medical School
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Media training & bridging techniques
- 3. ¨ Alert us to informa6on or developments we may not know ¨ Provide the public with informa6on or requests that we wish to convey ¨ Quell rumors and reassure concerned ci6zens ¨ Generate outside support and assistance What the Media Can Do for Us 3
- 4. ¨ Five elements of newsworthiness ¨ Importance, Prominence, Proximity, Timeliness, Novelty ¨ “News” is the unusual ¨ Biggest, First, Only, Out-of-the-Ordinary ¨ Man bites dog! ¨ News is whatever the reporters say it is! What is News? 4
- 5. ¨ Naturally curious, skep6cal people ¨ Faced with difficult jobs (becoming “instant experts”) ¨ Have editors ¨ Have a job to do — get the story! ¨ Generally respond posi6vely when provided assistance Understanding Reporters 5
- 7. ¨ Always ask a reporter about his/her deadline ¨ TV reporters have 6ghter deadlines than print reporters ¨ Internet reporters want to turn things around instantly ¨ ConsideraAon: Whose emergency is this? Reporters & Deadlines 7
- 8. ¨ Who is authorized to speak for the organiza6on? ¨ What kind of informa6on cannot be released? ¨ Are you required to no6fy anyone of the media contact? ¨ What kind of communica6ons support is available? Know OrganizaAonal Media Policies 8
- 9. ¨ Agree to do the on-camera or in-person interview ¨ Answer ques6ons over the phone ¨ Turn down the interview opportunity ¨ Refer the reporter to someone else (district spokesperson, etc.) Your OpAons 9
- 10. ¨ When a reporter requests an interview, ask enough ques6ons to gain a full understanding of the story ¨ What is the story about? What is your angle? ¨ What kind of informa6on do you need? ¨ Who else have or will you interview? ¨ What prompted interest in this story? Interview the Interviewer 10
- 12. ¨ Most reporters will have an angle for their story — but you can always try to bring them around to yours! ¨ Convey your sugges6ons for what should be in the piece in the form of facts: ¨ “You know, the ques6on I get asked the most about this is…” ¨ “What many people don’t know is…” Pre-Interview Tricks 12
- 14. ¨ An6cipate ques6ons ¨ Write out answers ¨ Interview planning sheet ¨ Key facts ¨ Analogies ¨ Examples ¨ Prac6ce “bridging” technique ¨ Be aware of your gestures/expressions Prep & PracAce 14
- 16. ¨ “The important thing to remember is…” ¨ “What parents really need to know is…” ¨ “The bo^om line is…” ¨ “The real issue is…” ¨ “But…” ¨ “However…” ¨ “And…” Bridging TransiAons 16
- 18. VIDEO: Bridging to PosiAve Messages (1) 18 Source: Mastering TV Appearances: The 5-Star Survival Guide for Effective TV Interviews, Center for Advanced Media Studies
- 19. 19 VIDEO: Bridging to PosiAve Messages (2) Source: Mastering TV Appearances: The 5-Star Survival Guide for Effective TV Interviews, Center for Advanced Media Studies
- 20. ¨ A= Acknowledge and address the ques6on (1-2 seconds) ¨ yes, no, I don’t know, I’m not able to answer that… ¨ B= Bridge (3 seconds) ¨ but, however, what I can tell you is…, let’s be clear about this… ¨ C= Cover key messages (8-10 seconds) ¨ Clearly and concisely cover posi6ve points from your interview planning sheet ¨ D= Dangle ¨ what’s really interes6ng is… Use the ABCD Technique 20
- 21. ¨ BEWARE THE PREGNANT PAUSE! ¨ Resist the urge to fill the silence ¨ TV reporters face significant 6me constraints ¨ Silence will be edited out ¨ BEWARE THE REPEAT QUESTION! ¨ Your first answer is generally the best ¨ “I think I’ve answered that ques6on already” Survival Tips 21
- 22. ¨ Don’t speculate or offer opinions or predic6ons. S6ck to the facts as you know them. ¨ Don’t be afraid to say you don’t know ¨ Don’t place blame ¨ Don’t use jargon or “science speak” ¨ Don’t stonewall, mislead, or lie Survival Tips (conAnued) 22
- 23. Telling the Truth 23 Lying to the public is no different from lying in a courtroom under oath. The sentence, however, can be tougher: loss of credibility, loss of respect, loss of customers, loss of trust by the community, and by shareowers. There is no such things as a half lie, a small lie, or a white lie. — Carole M. Howard & Wilma K. MaDhews Authors, On Deadline: Managing Media RelaKons
- 24. ¨ NO COMMENT: No ma^er why you say it, the viewers think this means either “I’m hiding something” or “I’m guilty as Hell!” (Different from “I can’t answer because…”) ¨ OFF THE RECORD: Once it’s said, it’s said. You can’t take it back. Only speak “off the record” if you trust the reporter with your job! ¨ BEST ADVICE FOR BOTH: Don’t do it! Two Things To Never Say 24
- 25. ¨ Loaded Ques6on ¨ Bait Ques6on ¨ Personal Opinion ¨ Speaking on Behalf of Others ¨ Don’t Know the Answer ¨ Prohibited from Answering ¨ Boxing You In ¨ Emo6onally Loaded Ques6on ¨ Hos6le Ques6on (But Truth to It) ¨ Persistent Ques6oning ¨ Open Ended/Vague Ques6on ¨ Hypothe6cal Ques6on ¨ Rumor ¨ Mul6-Part Ques6on ¨ Advice/Recommenda6on to Boss ¨ Sympathe6c Approach Tricks of the Media Trade 25
- 26. ¨ Confidence ¨ Have confidence in your own knowledge. You know your subject be^er than the journalist and most stakeholders. ¨ Clarity ¨ Use a clear, conversa6onal style. Establish a maximum of three key messages and illustrate your points with anecdotal examples for color and credibility. Avoid jargon. Simplify! ¨ Control ¨ Take charge of the interview/discussion. Prepara6on is the key. There is no such thing as a wrong ques6on, only wrong answers. Remember the Three C ’s 26
- 27. ¨ “The audience listens with its eyes first… Then its ears.” ¨ Nearly 87% of the informa6on we get daily is visual ¨ Only about 7% of the informa6on we get is sound Delivery: Think Visually! 27 Source: Mastering TV Appearances: The 5-Star Survival Guide for EffecKve TV Interviews, Center for Advanced Media Studies
- 28. VIDEO: Facial Expressions & Gestures 28 Source: Mastering TV Appearances: The 5-Star Survival Guide for Effective TV Interviews, Center for Advanced Media Studies
- 29. ¨ If standing, avoid rocking back and forth ¨ If sinng, sit at back of chair, sit on tail of coat, and lean slightly forward at waist ¨ Assume you are on-air at all 6mes ¨ Keep appropriate tone/facial expressions during the cut-away shot ¨ Place your most important points at the beginning of each response ¨ Refer to the reporter by name early and ooen Television Interview Survival Tips 29
- 30. VIDEO: TV News Story Structure 30 Source: Mastering TV Appearances: The 5-Star Survival Guide for Effective TV Interviews, Center for Advanced Media Studies
- 31. ¨ Provide available facts sheets & suggest other sources as appropriate ¨ Provide promised informa6on ASAP ¨ Volunteer to confirm quotes or answer follow up ques6ons if you’re available ¨ Ask when the story will air or be published ¨ Suggest a posi6ve story idea that the reporter can return to cover soon ¨ If the reporter covers the story well, send a congratulatory note/e- mail Post Interview 31
- 32. ¨ FEW will remember your name ¨ They WILL remember your organiza6on ¨ ALMOST NO ONE will remember much of what you said ¨ NEARLY EVERYONE will remember if they liked you Four Television “Absolutes” 32 Source: Mastering TV Appearances: The 5-Star Survival Guide for EffecKve TV Interviews, Center for Advanced Media Studies
- 33. ¨ Acknowledge the difference between what is correct and what you don’t like about the story ¨ In most cases, be charitable and do nothing ¨ In some cases, contact the reporter to request the item be corrected for the record ¨ In a few cases, write a le^er to the editor ¨ In rare cases, you will be jus6fied in asking the publica6on to print a correc6on ¨ In no case should you contact a compe6ng paper/sta6on to “set the record straight” ¨ If the error is cri6cal, post the correc6on on your web site Handling Errors 33 Source: On Deadline: Managing Media RelaKons
- 35. ¨ Number of men6ons (count clips; consider whether each is posi6ve, nega6ve or neutral) ¨ Share of educa6on stories (compared with area/regional schools or districts) ¨ Appearance of key messages (even in “nega6ve” stories) EvaluaAng Your Success 35
- 36. ¨ November, February, & May ¨ “Sweeps” months: 6me periods when TV sta6ons get rated based on viewership ¨ Ra6ngs used to set adver6sing rates ¨ To boost ra6ngs, stories tend to be even more sensa6onal than usual (“hard-hinng” inves6ga6ve reports, “shocking” stories, “localizing” na6onal stories) Beware Sweeps Months 36
- 37. ¨ Set ground rules ¨ Know your facts ¨ Write out your responses ¨ Rehearse your performance ¨ Say it in 15 seconds or less ¨ Prac6ce “bridging” Review 37
- 39. Resources 39 On Deadline: Managing Media Relations Carole M. Howard & Wilma K. Matthews
- 40. QUESTIONS? 40