About Journalists…
1. Journalists are not your enemies, but they’re not your friends either.
2. The mike is always “hot,” the camera is always “live.”
3. Everything you say is on the record.
4. Treat a reporter the same way you would treat a live mike.
5. Never say “no comment.” It makes you look furtive.
6. Any question is a fair one.
7. If you’re not prepared to answer a question, don’t.
8. Provocation is considered fair by most journalists. Be prepared to respond to it in a non-provocative manner.
9. Return calls or be out of reach, but don’t put yourself in a position where someone can quote you as not responding.
10. Context is a matter of interpretation. You can always ask to have a quote read back to you, but do it at the moment of the interview.
Bridging:
When done properly, bridging is the key technique for bringing any interview under control. In a broadcast interview, you are at an especially strong advantage because the interviewer is working against a clock and fears dead air more than anything. Print reporters are more wary, but the same technique can be applied, though sparingly.
· Use downward inflection in all bridges.
· “I’m glad you asked me that,” buys a little time.
· Repeating the question also buys time. “Why did I write this book? Let me give you the short version, Tom.”
· The 1-2 of bridging: Acknowledge the question, give a brief answer and shift to another subject: “I think the Senator could have responded better, but I think, Tom, that the real issue here…”
· “That reminds me…”
· “First, let’s look at…”
Before Every Interview…
1. Ask your host what he/she likes to be called.
2. Know how much time you have.
3. Know the format—one-to-one, two hosts, other guests.
4. Have an agenda for the interview, but remain flexible.
5. Have a drink on hand to sip while the host is speaking in case your throat get scratchy.
6. 85% of everything you say will be forgotten within 48 hours. Do not cram things in.
7. Let your host do the selling.
8. Think communication, not performance.
9. You’re on when you enter the building, not when you get to the studio.
10. If you do your work before you get to the interview, you’ll have more fun.
11. Know that it’s not possible for any interview to be perfect. There’s always another interview.
Dressing For Television
· Above all, wear what’s right for you.
· Most shots are from the waist up.
· Camera and lighting technology have eliminated the old taboos about white, but off-white is still preferred & blue photographs well.
· Bright reds don’t look as good on television as they do in person.
· Bright pinks can create an aura known as “bleed.”
· Avoid jewelry that detracts from you—for example, large hoop earrings or overpowering beads.
· If you wear glasses all the time, wear glasses on television.
· Tightly-woven patterns such as herringbones, plaids and polka dots often create a distracting shimmer.
**Adapted from a sheet I received a million years ago from Bill Parkhurst, but all this advice still applies.