Media Training: Media Interview Dos and Don’ts

Media training – preparation and practice for interviews – has long been a crucial aspect of maximising those precious media coverage opportunities.

While the fundamental dos and don’ts remain much as they ever were, the frequency of virtual interviews, sharing of interview clips on social channels, and  increased popularity of formats such as podcasts, are creating new dimensions to keep in mind when prepping for a media interview.

Nobody wants to come away from a valuable coverage opportunity feeling that they’ve given a bad interview. So, what media training advice do we share with our clients? Read on for a few essential media interview tips.

DO Be Prepared

Familiarise yourself with the programme or publication you’ll be appearing on or in – it can make a big difference to how well your tone lands. Your PR agency or in-house team should be briefing you about the journalist, the media outlet, and the likely direction of questions, but a quick watch or read of previous interviews is always a good idea. A consumer PR slot on a TV show is going to call for a distinctly different approach from a CEO profile in a business publication, so get a feel for the context to understand what the interviewer – and audience – will be looking for, and prepare accordingly.

Do Be Yourself

The interviewer doesn’t want a robot – they want an engaging, articulate human who has something interesting to say. Even experienced public speakers can find media interviews daunting because you’re not fully in control of the conversation’s direction. Under pressure, it can be tricky to stay relaxed and natural, which is where some media training – or even a refresher session if you’ve undertaken training before – can really help to deliver a confidence boost and some useful techniques.

Do Answer The Question

Obviously, there are brand messages you want to get across (and you should have honed these with your PR agency or in-house comms team ahead of the interview). But, if you plug too blatantly, you won’t come across as an authoritative voice and, crucially, you’re unlikely to be asked back. Listen to the actual question (not the question you’d like to be asked) and respond to that, weaving in the key points you want to get across.

One exception to this point is if you can’t answer because you don’t know, or the premise of the question is incorrect. Don’t be afraid to explain why you can’t answer in a polite and constructive way – struggling for a coherent answer is much worse.

Do Stick To The POint

Broadcast interviews tend to be relatively brief. Keep your answers concise and to the point. There’s more leeway with podcasts where the style is more free ranging and conversational, and with in-depth print profiles where the journalist will edit down a longer dialogue. But, in both these situations, it’s remains sensible not to drift too far off topic and always remember that there is not really any such thing as “off the record”.

Don’t Use Jargon

Avoid using industry jargon or any overtly technical language. While this varies to some degree based on the media outlet – for example some of our B2B PR clients operate in highly specialist sectors where technical insight and terms may be appropriate – keeping your language clear and simple is the best starting point.

Don’t Be Caught Off Guard BY Breaking STories

Particularly if you’re being interviewed about political or business news topics, make sure you know what else is going on that day. If a major story has just broken on a topic which in any way relates to your industry, there’s every chance you’ll be asked about it. Don’t assume it won’t be mentioned just because it wasn’t the original focus of the interview.

Don’t Forget You’re On Camera

OK, this sounds pretty obvious if you’re being filmed for a TV interview but there’s every chance you could also be filmed if you’re in a radio studio or being interviewed for a podcast. So many outlets are capturing multi-media content to be shared online and via social media, that expecting to be on camera in one way or another is becoming the norm rather than the exception.  

It’s also important to remember this when you’re being interviewed remotely via Zoom (a pandemic phenomenon which appears to be here to stay). Even when you’re not speaking, your screen feed might be visible in the background, so assume you’re ‘live’ for the interview’s duration.

In these situations, you’re also responsible for how you’re visually presenting yourself, so check your setup well before the interview. Look at your backdrop with a critical eye to ensure it looks professional, set up your camera at eyeline and remember to talk into your camera lens (not at the video view of yourself!).

Finally, make sure your interview won’t be interrupted by others in your vicinity, ringing mobiles, or pinging computer alerts. We’ve all seen – and enjoyed – the epic interview fails that go viral, but you probably don’t want to be the subject of one of them!

This list is far from exhaustive, not least because the best media training is always tailored to the specific spokesperson and media opportunity.  If you’re looking to increase brand awareness or your personal profile as a thought-leader or spokesperson, get in touch to talk about how WPR can help with your media strategy and media relations activity.

The author: Beth Hendley is a consumer PR director specialising in home interest, lifestyle and retail PR. She prides herself on an enviable list of media contacts and an ability to blend strategic campaign planning and day-to-day activity ensuring the brands she works with reach the right people at the right time.