Making it work when working with the media: Part 2

Don't Engage in Arguments or Speculation

Rarely—but highly publicized when it happens—a journalist may try to trap you. No need to participate. For example, one high-profile person has certain rules about what questions they'll answer, and all interviewers sign agreements not to go into this territory. When one interviewer would not stop asking the question, after our high-profile person was respectfully saying, “You know I don't speak on that topic”—she politely got up from her chair, turned off the microphone, handed it to a stagehand, and walked away. All this was filmed and aired live. The headline that the station tried to use? “High-Profile Person Storms Off Stage.” I applaud this person—and respect their anonymity. I don't think this will happen to you at all. Stay calm and keep saying, “I don't know the answer to that question.”

A Little Etiquette Can Go a Long Way

Journalists—and the public—are not uneducated. They may not know what you know, or they may be misinformed, but they likely have some area of expertise. Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and inform, share, and learn from them.

Another area to avoid is putting down a study or the authors/researchers. It's fine to say you “disagree” with a published paper, the study design, etc. But your disagreement itself isn't news, so it shouldn't be the focus of your precious time trying to inform a journalist.

Realize everything you say is “on the record,” even pre- and post-interview small talk. You don't want to be taken out of context or give them ideas for another story; you're trying to develop positive relationships that are important to the long-term health of your research and communications about it.

And never roll your eyes, no matter how much you disagree.

During the Interview

Differences in Media Genres

Television and streaming news services tell visual stories. Sometimes they just do “talking head” interviews, but photos of your research or that help answer questions within the story often are appreciated. Most stories have sustained action, so visuals like folks working in your lab, you walking along the hallway with a reporter, etc., are all something to be prepared for. They will call this “b-roll” and the actual interview the “a-roll.” Stories can run from 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on the day's priorities. Television often needs you to be ready on short notice, and even if it's traditional TV, the story can still be streamed or put into print.

Radio often tells very short stories. They are often able to do interviews on the phone. Since radio is a form of oral communication, they often like “natural sounds” as their version of b-roll. So, if a reporter comes to your lab, don't be surprised if they want equipment running softly in the background. Alternatively, their sound equipment is especially precise, so if background noise is too distracting, you may have to turn off some equipment or move to a quieter location. Podcasts are usually a more relaxed, extended version of radio style.

Print or online written-word media vary widely. Both newspapers and magazines have moved to a combination of “feature” stories—longer and more in depth—and short articles. All appreciate photos that fit with the story topic (for more on taking good photos, see https://doi.org/10.2134/csa2018.63.0118). They may ask for follow-up interviews unlike television and radio formats, which are usually a one-time interaction.

Remember to read all our collected CSA News magazine articles about good communications habits in our Communications Toolkits.1 And if you missed it, read Part 1 of our media relations series found in the last issue of CSA News magazine (https://doi.org/10.2134/csa2019.64.1217).