A simple AI prompt can transform your press release into a list of challenging interview questions from a journalist's perspective. This helps you anticipate and prepare for difficult lines of questioning that your internal team might miss.
When a journalist uses an emotive, negative word like "crisis" in a question, do not repeat it in your answer. Reframe it with a more neutral term like "issue" or "challenge" to prevent your soundbite from reinforcing the negative narrative.
The Sainsbury's CEO was caught singing "We're in the money" on a hot mic before an interview about a major merger. This blunder went viral and damaged the deal, proving that spokespeople are effectively "live" from the moment they arrive.
To stop a persistent negative line of questioning, use specific internal statistics. For example, responding to claims of poor quality with a five-star rating figure. Journalists are less likely to challenge hard data they cannot immediately disprove.
A common journalistic trick is the "Columbo Question," a final, seemingly unrelated query designed to catch you off guard when your defenses are down. It's a tactic to elicit a candid, often damaging, quote on a separate, controversial topic.
Unlike professionally trained journalists, many content creators and influencers are not bound by traditional ethical standards. They may not understand or respect concepts like embargoes or "off the record," posing a risk to controlled message delivery.
A journalist asked the head of Barclays if he'd personally use his company's credit card. His honest answer—"no, of course not, they're too expensive"—became a damaging global headline, showing the danger of separating personal views from the company line.
Media outlets maintain a list of reliable, articulate guests. By delivering a compelling and well-prepared interview, you can become a go-to source for that outlet, securing numerous future media opportunities from a single successful appearance.
The media landscape has shifted; print journalists now frequently arrive with cameras to capture video for online articles and social media. Spokespeople must be camera-ready for every media interaction, as any interview can become a video segment.