The
Office for Public Affairs has put together some tips and
guidelines for media interviews. Faculty, staff and students who have been
contacted by the media can refer to the
information below for help in preparing for and managing an interview. Please also contact Arlie
Corday at 781-283-3321 or acorday@wellesley.edu.
Pre-interview
checklist
Tips for successful interviews
Tips for TV and radio interviews
Pre-interview
checklist
• When a reporter
calls, please return the call as soon as possible. Most of the
time, reporters work on very tight deadlines. They will put out
calls
for expert
help to a wide variety of outlets. Many times, it is the expert
who gets back to them first who is used in the story.
• If you answer
a call directly from a reporter and find that you need a few
minutes to prepare, find out what the reporter is looking for
(see questions below) and then tell her/him that you will call
back in 10-15 minutes. Collect your thoughts and then call back.
• If you don't
think you're the appropriate spokesperson/source, refer the reporter
to someone who is (preferably at Wellesley) or to the Office
for Public Affairs (x3321 or x2373).
To prepare
for the interview, here is a brief checklist:
• If this
is not a call referred to you by the Office for Public Affairs,
please let us know that you have been contacted by a reporter
from a particular media outlet. Ask the reporter:
___what is the story about?
___what is
your deadline?
___what kind
of information do you need?
___how much
time will you need to talk to me?
___will we
talk on the phone or in person? If in person, will you come to
me, or will I need to go to a studio?
___when do
you expect the story to run?
___what is
your contact information in case I need to get back to you?
___do you
need general information about Wellesley College? If yes, please
refer
them to the Office for Public Affairs for this information.
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Tips
for successful interviews
• Prepare
your message. Think about what you really want the interviewer
and the reader to know about this topic. Try to reduce this main
point to one sentence or three bullet points. Remember, you will
have a short time to get your point across. You cannot hope for
complete coverage of your topic. Rather, it will be a snapshot.
So plan ahead to get your most important points across.
• Remember
your audience. Most of the time, media calls involve a general
audience. Try to make your information understandable to a layperson.
A good way to think about this: How would you explain your topic
to your brother-in-law, who is interested in what you do but
has no expertise on the subject himself? Then use that point
of view to talk to the reporter. Don't use professional jargon
or bureaucratic language. (Bureaucratic language: "It is
clear that much additional work will be required before we have
a complete understanding of the issue." Plain English: "We're
working on it.") Always try to use plain English. Assume
your audience needs its very first lesson in what you do. You
will have a chance to explain your findings fully when you write
for professional journals or speak at professional conferences.
• Be brief.
Try to keep your answers to three sentences or 20 seconds in
length. A TV reporter has about two minutes to tell the whole
story (including more than one expert, usually), and the average
length of a TV soundbite is eight seconds. A print reporter may
have about 500 words. If you want to have more control about
what is used from your contribution, keep your answers brief.
If more questions are forthcoming, of course, please feel free
to expand on your topic. Sometimes you can offer guidance and
background for reporters assigned to a topic with which they
are not familiar.
• Don't go
off the record. There is no such thing, no matter what you may
be told. Consider everything you say attributable to you in print.
If you don't want to see it in print, don't say it.
• Cite facts.
Reporters love to have facts and figures to support their stories.
Try to keep statistics simple, remembering the 20-second rule.
• Illustrate
your points. Try to include anecdotes and examples. As part of
preparing for your interview, think of real-life examples because
these are essential elements to a good story. Similarly, try
to use vivid metaphors and analogies.
• If you don't
know, just say so. If you are asked a question you cannot answer
for any reason, just say "I don't know" or "I'm
sorry, I can't answer that question." You should avoid saying "No
comment," as well as trying to answer a question for which
you don't feel you have the correct expertise. Rather, refer
the reporter to an appropriate person in your field (preferably
at Wellesley), or send them back to the Office for Public Affairs.
• Correct
yourself if need be. If you've misstated something (or if you
are misunderstood), feel free to stop and set the record straight,
even if you are on the air live. The alternative is worse. If
you are told something by the reporter you know is not true,
feel free to correct the record. Don't be argumentative if there
is an opposing point of view. You've done your job by expressing
that there is more than one way to see and tell this story.
• Don't expect
a reporter to show you a story before publication. It conflicts
with journalist ethics and professionalism. If you fear your
point has not been understood, ask the reporter to repeat it
back to you. Encourage a follow-up call if further clarification
or information is needed. If you are still concerned, ask the
reporter to read you only your own quotes once the story has
been written.
• If you are
misquoted, let us know. If it is a minor error or not quite the
choice of words you would have used, try not to overreact.
• Anticipate
tough questions and prepare answers ahead of time. The Office
for Public Affairs will
be happy to run through a sample interview with you to prepare
for questions and help devise answers. This keeps your anxiety
level in check, knowing you are ready for anything. You can
also practice with a colleague. Bring notes if you like, but
don't
read from them directly. You will sound "canned." An
easy, down-to-earth, plainspoken manner is your best ally in
any interview.
• Stay positive
and don't be defensive. Reporters may occasionally feed you a
line such as "You certainly dodged that bullet." Don't
repeat their statement; rather, just tell your own point of view
calmly and confidently.
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Tips
for TV and radio interviews
• When you
are being interviewed by print media, your words alone carry
your message. On radio and TV, your voice and your appearance
become part of the message. Here are a few tips to help:
• When being
interviewed for television, whether live or taped, look at the
person who is asking you questions, not the camera.
• For TV,
wear clothes you are comfortable in, that are neat and appropriate
and that don't distract you from what you are saying. Make sure
you comb your hair before going on camera. Make sure you are
comfortable with the set-up: the chair you are in, that you've
taken care of personal needs such as a bathroom break. Ask for
a glass of water to have nearby.
• If you are
taping an interview in your office or at home, turn off your
phone, your computer, your cell phone and your pager, close your
windows and put a sign on your door telling people not to knock,
an interview is in progress.
• On radio
or TV, don't make um-hmm noises when others are talking. Also,
refrain from interrupting others, no matter how tempting. Don't
talk too fast. Try to beware of ums and other verbal ticks. For
taped interviews, some of these can be edited out, but it is
better to present yourself as you want to be seen.
• When being
interviewed on TV, assume the camera picks up everything you
do, including your facial expressions and hand movements.
• For radio
interviews, try to keep your voice animated and positive. It
is all the listener has to get a sense of you. Smiling sometimes
works to come across in a people-friendly way. If your voice
becomes higher pitched because you are nervous, try to lower
it with subtle deep breathing.
• For radio,
you can use notes but don't rattle the papers.
• In any taped
interview, you can correct yourself if you make a mistake or
stumble. They will use the "clean" version of your
answer.
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Wellesley College Office for Public Affairs contacts:
Mary Ann Hill, 781-283-2376, mhill@wellesley.edu
Arlie Corday, 781-283-3321, acorday@wellesley.edu
Molly Tarantino, 781-283-2901, mtaranti@wellesley.edu
After-hours emergency number: 617-877-8274
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