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MEDIA INTERVIEWS: TIPS ON PREPARING FOR A MEDIA INTERVIEW
MEDIA INTERVIEWS: TIPS AND GUIDELINES FOR "MEDIA- INTERVIEWS" If you are a ‘public figure’, aspire to be one or are planning to do something worthy of media attention, you need to be prepared. Media interviews – on television, radio or publications, are not like any face to face interviews. You cannot afford to be ignorant, reckless or unprepared. Any comment you make could build or hinder your image or that of your organisation. Follow the general interview rules of punctuality, preparation and image. If you are going for a live TV interview, pay special attention to your clothes. Do not wear anything that makes you or could make others uncomfortable. Look presentable and free. Avoid shirts with buttons that could get unbuttoned without your even being aware of. Be careful about outfits that are too bright and skirts that are very short. Preparing for a media interviewTo prepare for an interview with the media, you would need to do some research. First ask for the subject of the interview and if possible a sample of questions that are likely to be asked. Know your interviewer; know their interviewing style/technique and their field of interest. Check how your topic could lead to questions related to the reporter/interviewer’s area of interest. Listen carefully before answering. If you are representing an organisation, talk to people who have been interviewed about the subject before – contradictions are a huge turn-off. Read as much as you can about media interviews
– from the Internet, books, publications. Talk to as many people who have been through a couple of media interviews as you can. Read published newspaper column interviews and listen to radio and TV interviews to get an idea about how people generally respond to probing questions and how they respond to stress.
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