njba training deck

Making It YOUR InterviewTechniques for working the media & other confrontational audiences

New Jersey Builders AssociationMay 13, 2013

Presented by Doug Fenichel, APRIn-House Public Relations

Introductions

Making it YOUR Interview

1. Your Name

2. Who you work for

3. What you do there

4. What you do for the New Jersey Builders Association

5. Why you’re here

6. Have you ever done a media interview? How did it go?

Introductions

Doug Fenichel, APR

• 10 years in radio/television and newspaper journalism

• Joined AT&T Public Relations during break up

• Accredited public relations executive.

• President, In-House Public Relations

• Adjunct Professor of Communications – Fairleigh Dickenson Univ.• Past President, Public Relations Society of America-NJ Chapter

• Member, Mount Olive Economic Development Committee• Member, Flanders Fire Company #1 and Rescue Squad

• Member, Community Builders and Remodelers Association• Member, North Central Jersey Association of Realtors

Introductions

In-House Public Relations Clients

1. Increase confidence & comfort level with the media

2. Develop an understanding of the media

3. Learn how to structure a “media contract”

4. Become a “credible” spokesperson

5. Enhance your reputation (and that of your organization) with the media

Media: Who are they?

• News media shape perceptions of products, companies and industries

• Negative/positive perceptions affect sales, stocks, ability to do business

• Negative/positive story outcome can depend on you and how you deliver your message!

• Traditional• Books • Magazines• Newspapers

• Electronic•Television• Radio

• Social• See above• Blogs • E-zines• Social networking sites

Professionally curious and skeptical

Competitive Deadline-driven See journalism as a

cause Covering multiple or

very broad beats Multimedia

A “Good” Reporter:Objective...Not personally involved

Fair…Gives both sides a chance

Accurate...Gets it right the first time

Listens…Truly wants to understand

Interesting...if nobody cares, the story

isn’t worth much (“If It Bleeds…It

Leads”)

Bad influences

• Incredible competition

• 24-hour news cycle

• Insecurity

• Beat the clock

• Find a new angle

• Live and die on their deadlines

It’s a world of constant change

• Visual medium• Assignment desk posts

assignments for A.M.• Morning Show cut in

reporters following last night’s news

• Stories and Footage for the Five is done by 4:15

• 6 is the 5 only with added Can break in any time

• Video isn’t just for TV anymore

• Audio medium

•Dying medium for local news

• Pre and post-market news radio

• The Peak – DRIVE TIME

• Material is collected all day

• Most info from wire services, local news not always wanted

• Web radio

• Assign and find “Talking Heads”

• As day progresses picking up from local stations, wires

• European News is usually early morning

• Original social network• Members contribute

stories• Reporters add to local

stories• Focus is rarely local• Distribute to other media• Accessible on the Web

• Dailies, weeklies, general, trades• Reporters get ideas from many

places, including wire services, other media, trade journals and releases

• Reporters have multiple beats and cannot be experts in all of them

• Papers divided into desks, run by editors who manage reporters

• Mid to late afternoon – crunch time• Early evening – deadline & rewrite• Huffington Post, Patch, bloggers

How does a recovering housing market impact New Jersey’s economy?

How would you modify your answer to this for different media?

Let’s take a break

Know what you know.

Know what you don’t know

Know how to state what you know.

Know how to get away from what you don’t know

Preparing yourself

CONCLUSION

Most people speak in pyramid style

Preparing yourself

HEADLINE

Need to learn to speak in headlines, then add support

Preparing yourself

• Know and articulate three key messages

• Deliver messages in a simple, straightforward and positive manner

• Key messages applicable to all public comments you make

• Messages are consistent in all communications

Preparing yourself

• Who am I trying to reach?• What do I want them to remember?• What is the audience concerned about?• Are my messages simple,

straightforward, and understandable?• Would I be persuaded...if I didn’t already

know what I know?

Preparing yourself

Types of interviews

Phoner In-Person Ambush

Types of interviews

On Camera Social

Playing by the rules

Yes, there are rules…

• A direct question deserves a direct answer

• If you don’t know the answer, say so• No “no comment”• Honesty is the best policy• If a reporter gets something wrong,

immediately correct it

There is no “off the record”

• If you don’t want it quoted, don’t say it

• Off the cuff remarks can be next day’s headlines

• Background statements can be quoted

There is no “no comment”

• Declining to answer a question is ok, but NEVER say “No Comment”

• And ALWAYS use the opportunity to bridge to what you want to say

Declining to answer• When is it appropriate to not answer a

question?– Personal opinion– Competitive information– Hypothetical situations– Response to unfamiliar stats or comments– Status of issues under negotiation or legal review– Info you don’t know

Blocking & Bridging

• Blocking -- Halting the direction of the interview

• Bridging -- Going from where you are to where you want to be

• Flagging – Redirecting the interview to a key point of importance

Blocking & Bridging

Question AnswerResponse

Deserves a Response

BridgeBlock

Blocking & Bridging

• Don't evade...restructure• Asked about a problem? Talk about a

solution• Don't become fixated by the question• Number your points

Blocking & Bridging

Third-PartyEndorsements

Analogies

Facts/Statistics

Experience/Examples

Blocking & Bridging

• Swim into safer waters through the use of “connectors”– Yes...The real issue here is...– No, but what I can say about that is...– I don’t know...but what I do know is...– Let’s look at that another way...

Dirty Tricks

• Mike is always live• Camera is always on• Anything in sight is fair game• “Would you say…”• “I heard that…”• Silence isn’t golden• Antagonism is powerful

Take a break

Commandment 1

Thou shalt treat reporters(and everyone else)

with respect…even when it isn’t returned.

Commandment 1

That means:

•Returning calls•Honoring deadlines

•Honoring agreements•Insisting on your rights

Commandment 2

Begin your preparations:

• Agree to a time do to the interview•Call public relations, others

•Negotiate the “interview contract”

Commandment 2

Interview contract

• Agree to a time do to the interview•Call public relations, others

•Negotiate the “interview contract”•Understand your rights, their rights

Commandment 2

Your “Bill of Rights”

• Know what the story is about• Help define the agenda

• Know how long the interview will take• Know whether you’ll be quoted• Know who else is being quoted

• Know if there are photos or video

Commandment 2

Your “Bill of Rights”

• Know if interview is live or taped• Know about your interviewer

• Ask questions about the interview• Be treated respectfully

• Depend on PR or other help

Commandment 2

Your “Bill of Rights” excludes:

• Knowing the questions in advance• Seeing the story in advance

• Changing quotes or editing the story• Expecting to be the only one presented

Commandment 2

Reporter “Bill of Rights”:• Reasonable access to legitimate,

prepared news sources• Have deadlines, logistical needs

considered•Get a concise and direct answer

•Conduct follow-up calls for clarification• Refuse a request to see the story in

advance• Redirect the interview to the subject

• Evaluate and report the story

Commandment 2

Preparations include being helpful

• What do you need?•How can I help you?

•What is your deadline?•How did you find me?

•Did anyone refer you to me?•What is your story about? Am I really

the correct source?• How can I help you better understand

my business?

Commandment 2

Preparations include being helpful

• Who will read/watch your story? •What is the context of your story?•What triggered your story idea?

•Is there a specific point of view you’d liketo explore?

• How much of my time will you require?•When and where will it run?

Commandment 2

All this leads to 2 major points:

• Builds relationship, trust & understanding•Puts the reporter as ease because

you understand reporter’s goals, needs

• Helps you decide if you want to proceed and, if so, if you’re the right person.

Commandment 3

Thou shalt remember:

“I am the expert unto whom thereporter came for information”

“I shall pitch as well as catch, for it is as much my game as

The reporters!”

Commandment 4

Thou shalt gather thine information.Thine information shall make theeprepared, for such is the stuff of

successful interviews.

From thine info, thou shalt write thine heds

Commandment 5

Thou shalt do the interviewConfidence, always remembering

Commandment 3

Commandment 6

Thou shalt do thine interview right:

• Stay on message• Stay on the record

•No opinions•Think before you speak•Don’t repeat language

• Speak only about what you know

Commandment 6

Thou shalt do thine interview right:

• Be honest• Don’t speculate

• Don’t comment on rumors• Correct misinformation

• Bridge, bridge

Commandment 7

Never shall thou say“No comment”

Commandment 8

Thou shalt stay cool…

Commandment 9

How dost thee understandthe question posed

unto thee?

Commandment 10

Thou shalt thank thineinquisitor and be available

for his or her follow up.

A few more dos and don’ts

• Agree to the Interview • Remember the reporter has a stake in

a good story• Remember your message• Make sure you understand the

question• Make answers concise & quotable• Think before talking• Keep your headlines in mind

• Be anecdotal, enthusiastic & likable• Listen actively• Be correct , don’t guess

• Don’t– Accept “what if” questions– Use jargon– Go off the record– Repeat negative language– Throw ad weight around– Depend on the reporter to ask all the questions you want to answer– Allow mistakes to go uncorrected

• Don’t– Offer personal opinions– Stray from agreed-upon subjects– Disparage others– Don’t preannounce– Don’t allow words to be put in your mouth– Don’t worry about using hands or smiling

After the interview

• Get on with life!!• Unless requested to do so, don't call the

reporter and offer to check technical points• If you don't like the line of questioning,

don't try to go over reporter's head to get a story killed

• If story works out, don't send gifts (thank you note is OK)

What does a PR guy do?

• Knows the reporters• Negotiates “contract”• Helps you with headlines, talking points• Follows up with reporters• Gets you into stories you should be in• Coaches you

Let’s practice!

“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a

moment to prefer the latter.

Thomas Jefferson

All business in a democratic societyBegins with public permission and

Exists by public approval.

Arthur W. Page

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