As municipal government leaders, you will have the opportunity to speak out on important issues in your respective fields. You may be called upon to speak as experts about various municipal issues. No one likes to do an interview and then feel as if they were misrepresented. Having worked in print media for more than two decades, this presentation offers practical suggestions on how best to prepare for your next media interview.

1. Media Training 101
Or: Conquering the Camera
Conquering Radio
Conquering Print
John Chambers
Strategic Communications Specialist
@_JohnChambers
705-341-1108

2. Why should I care about the media?
• As municipal government leaders, you will
have the opportunity to speak out on
important issues
• You may be called upon to speak as experts
about various municipal issues
• No one likes to do an interview and then
feel as if they were misrepresented

3. The Media Game
• Like a sporting contest, media encounters
are pressure-filled events with rules, time
limits, and the occasional cheap shot.
• Succeeding at the game requires a strategy.
• Ultimate goal is to communicate a message
that persuades skeptics or neutralizes the
opposition.

4. Types of TV Programs
• News programming
• Public Affairs programming & talk shows
• Editorial responses
• Feature segments

5. Types of Radio Programs
• Live radio interview
• Taped radio interview
• Public Affairs show
• Talk radio

6. Types of Print Media
• Interview by reporter
• Letter to the Editor
• Opinion editorials
• Weekly newspapers

7. What is News?
• Something that is new, or
• Something that is a new angle on an already
newsworthy topic.
• Media has a pervasive bias of negativity:
the challenge is to break through with an
aggressive, positive point of view.

8. Tips for Effectiveness
• Human interest: balance facts and figures
with personal or emotional appeal.
• A picture is worth a thousand words.
• Tailor the message to the particular
audience
• Keep it simple: use uncomplicated but
interesting language.

9. Fatal Flaws!
• Off the record: no such thing.
• “No Comment”: makes it look like you have
something to hide.
• Off the cuff: you’re risking an outrageous
verbal faux pas
• Missing a deadline: the news cycle moves
quickly; help the journalist meet deadlines.

10. Fatal Flaws! (Part II)
• Untruths: Don’t lie, the truth will come out;
and dont withhold bad information, it will
turn into a damaging, negative story.
• Dont pick a fight: reporters are neither
friends nor enemies; they are professional
colleagues.

11. Preparing for the Interview
Gather information ahead of time.
* helps you to prepare
* increases likelihood of your message
reaching the target audience

12. Preparing for the Interview (II)
• What is the type of media?
• What is the topic?
• What is the reporters angle?
• Who is the reporter what is their style?
• What is the nature of the story?
• What is the deadline?
• How long will it take?

13. Preparing for the Interview (III)
• Will it be live, live-on-tape, or edited?
• When and where will it take place?
• Who else is the reporter talking to?
• When will the story air or be published?
• Read the newspaper the day of the
interview
• Follow up with the reporter after interview
(thank you note, suggest future story ideas)

14. During the Interview
• Give the interview undivided attention
• Set the ground rules at the beginning
• Tape record the interview
• Lead with the most important messages
• Keep calm, cool, and collected
• Dont respond to third-hand or unseen info
• Always bridge to YOUR message

15. During the Interview (II)
• Say “I don’t know, but let me find out and
I’ll get back to you” rather than winging it
• Never give personal opinions (speak to
issue, message and goals)
• Do not respond to hypotheticals, stick to
facts
• Keep it short and simple

16. During the Interview (III)
• Try to phrase things in the positive
• Don’t try to be clever or glib
• Be gracious
• Don’t forget your audience

17. Difficult Questions
• Some questions can’t be given a straight
answer, but to avoid the question looks bad
too.
• “Block” a negative question by responding
briefly in a non-specific way
• “Bridge” with a smooth transition. Change
the subject to a positive message.

18. Blocking & Bridging Phrases
• “That’s an interesting question, and to put
that in perspective…”
• “I don’t have precise details, but what I do
know is…”
• “Let’s not lose sight of the key issue here,
which is…”
• “The underlying question is…”

19. Potential Pitfalls
• Yes/No & Either/Or – Don’t choose -
Explain
• He said/She said – Don’t be drawn into
criticism
• Loaded Questions – Don’t accept the
premise of the question
• Rapid Fire – Keep cool, take your time

20. More Potential Pitfalls
• Speculation – Avoid making predictions
• Don’t repeat the negative
• Fishing – Never assume a journalist knows
anything
• Over-Answering – Stick to your message,
and then stop talking

21. Posture for the Camera
• Sitting: Crossed at knee, or ankles crossed
under chair.
• Standing: One foot in front of the other,
weight on back foot
• Hands: for TV, keep hands in the “box”
(below chin, between shoulders, above
lower chest)

22. Facial Expression and Focus
• Smile! A slight smile will make you appear
more engaging and sincere. Don’t smile if
you are talking about a horrendous tragedy.
• Where do I look? Look at the reporter, not
at the camera (unless a satellite feed)
• Steady eye contact: Look interviewer in the
eye, don’t look around (makes you look
shifty or dishonest)

23. After the Interview
• It’s not over until the reporter has left the
building (or until you have)
• Review the interview and analyze what
worked and what didn’t
• Send a word of thanks if the reporter did a
good job, and suggest future story ideas
• Correct & comment on bad interviews

24. Why Have A Message Strategy?
• The interview is a forum to articulate ideas,
advocate issues, debate opponents, and
persuade key players
• To seize the moment, you must develop a
message strategy before the interview

25. What is a Message Strategy?
• NOT a set of talking points or a slogan!
• Combines slogans, sound bites, mission
statements, factual data, research,
organization policy, operating procedures,
etc. and the articulation of values, beliefs
and vision.
• Successful message strategies are organized
around a theme.

26. Forget process, talk action
• Process is important but boring
• Action, people and results make news
• Talk about the real world

27. Principles of Message Development
• CLEAR: 3 or 4 message points
• CONNECT: Who is the audience and what
is the “ooh!” factor?
• COMPELLING: make it interesting
• CONCISE: sound bites
• CONTINUAL: repeat the message (takes 7-
12 times to create awareness)

28. Staying on Message
• End answers on message to drive next
question in your desired direction
• Bridge to message:
Answer question, then
Transfer to
Message
(“What I can tell you is…”)

29. What is Your Message?
• 3 or 4 points
• Focused around a theme
• Remember the 5 C’s:
Clear, Connect, Compelling, Concise, and
Continual