Interviews with the press
An opportunity to give an interview, either for a print or broadcast media, can incredibly useful for a land conservancy, offering the chance to spread the message of your work while executing strategic communication objectives.
Preparing for Interviews
Determine primary objectives in the form of one or two concise and clear messages you will convey. Make sure these messages are both pertinent to the audience and are easy to understand. Keep these objectives present during your interview.
Know the audience
Ask the studio or publication in advance who their readership/viewers consists of, research for yourself, and speak to this audience in away that is relevant to them. Knowing your audience will also help inform your primary objectives.
Know your situation
Know ahead of time how much the interviewer knows about subject and your organization in particular and offer background information (brochures, fact sheets, maps etc.) to supplement this knowledge.
It is also important to know paper or news style, if there is generally a slant, and what forms the interview often takes (is it often conversational, controversial, if the interviewer questions are include or if it is an edited mix of only the interviewee’s words, etc.) It is also helpful to know what the rest of the publication or show will look like as well, whether there will be interviews highlighted with opposing views, other similar organizations featured, if there is a theme to the piece, etc. Know the deadline and airdate to help shape your message and your preparation.
Organize Your Thoughts
While it is best to remain lively and off the cuff, it is also important to prepare for the interview thoroughly. Write out what you’ll say and practice with a coworker or friend to become comfortable with the material and process of being interviewed.
Determine primary objectives in the form of one or two concise and clear messages you will convey. Make sure these messages are both pertinent to the audience and are easy to understand. Keep these objectives present during your interview.
Know the audience
Ask the studio or publication in advance who their readership/viewers consists of, research for yourself, and speak to this audience in away that is relevant to them. Knowing your audience will also help inform your primary objectives.
Know your situation
Know ahead of time how much the interviewer knows about subject and your organization in particular and offer background information (brochures, fact sheets, maps etc.) to supplement this knowledge.
It is also important to know paper or news style, if there is generally a slant, and what forms the interview often takes (is it often conversational, controversial, if the interviewer questions are include or if it is an edited mix of only the interviewee’s words, etc.) It is also helpful to know what the rest of the publication or show will look like as well, whether there will be interviews highlighted with opposing views, other similar organizations featured, if there is a theme to the piece, etc. Know the deadline and airdate to help shape your message and your preparation.
Organize Your Thoughts
While it is best to remain lively and off the cuff, it is also important to prepare for the interview thoroughly. Write out what you’ll say and practice with a coworker or friend to become comfortable with the material and process of being interviewed.
Giving the interview
- Be yourself. People respond best to people, not notes or over-rehearsed speeches. You’ll find your interview more compelling if you take measures to be sincere and relaxed.
- Agree to agenda and time so you know what to expect before the interview begins
- Remember the interviewer is human, interact and respond to them as in normal professional conversation
- Don’t let them put words in your mouth— if they ask a leading question, you don’t have to respond to it, simply redirect it toward one of your objectives or toward a new line of questions.
- Remember to tell the truth. If something comes up you can’t answer—don’t, and if you need more time to get back to them, take the time to get back to them.
- Be accessible; offer information for the interviewer for follow-up questions or to schedule additional interviews
Types of Interviews
News Interview
News articles are written on tight deadlines and are often more concerned with reportable facts: who, what, where, when, how, why. When giving a news interview, focus on concrete and specific examples, which emphasize the objectives you’ve previously set. Remember that facts don’t immediately remove the human-interest aspect of your story. Land conservancy work is particularly well situated to speak to people about human feelings and needs. Remember, the interviewer is also looking for lively and interesting quotes. Keep a positive message and your objectives at the forefront to help characterize your conservancy.
Feature Articles
Feature articles for magazines or newspapers are often written under a longer deadline, and are typically interested in deeper more detailed information. These articles have more time to be written and more real estate on the page to include photos, pull quotes, etc. These interviewers may be more interested in supporting material you can offer including briefings, brochures, graphs, maps etc.
Broadcast and Media Interviews
Different from interviews that will appear in print, in broadcast and media interviews the audience will be able to hear and see you speak. You can use these tools to emphasize points and objectives. Your intonation, tempo, gesture, and appearance will all enhance your message and your objectives.
While the type of interview may vary, it could be a 30 second spot on the news, or a 30 minute radio interview, each takes careful planning as outlined above. Remember to keep your objectives in mind, and use questions asked as a launch pad to talk about these objectives. For short 15-30 second spots, be clear concise and point directly to your objectives, while in longer interviews remember to repeat several times your objectives.
TV and radio interviews are often edited and played in parts, so your answers should be self-contained and shouldn’t’ rely on the context of the question asked to make sense.
In any case talk to the station or studio for help. They will be able to guide you in the process of being interviewed, as well what to wear, and will more than likely provide makeup services for both men and women who will appear on TV.
News Interview
News articles are written on tight deadlines and are often more concerned with reportable facts: who, what, where, when, how, why. When giving a news interview, focus on concrete and specific examples, which emphasize the objectives you’ve previously set. Remember that facts don’t immediately remove the human-interest aspect of your story. Land conservancy work is particularly well situated to speak to people about human feelings and needs. Remember, the interviewer is also looking for lively and interesting quotes. Keep a positive message and your objectives at the forefront to help characterize your conservancy.
Feature Articles
Feature articles for magazines or newspapers are often written under a longer deadline, and are typically interested in deeper more detailed information. These articles have more time to be written and more real estate on the page to include photos, pull quotes, etc. These interviewers may be more interested in supporting material you can offer including briefings, brochures, graphs, maps etc.
Broadcast and Media Interviews
Different from interviews that will appear in print, in broadcast and media interviews the audience will be able to hear and see you speak. You can use these tools to emphasize points and objectives. Your intonation, tempo, gesture, and appearance will all enhance your message and your objectives.
While the type of interview may vary, it could be a 30 second spot on the news, or a 30 minute radio interview, each takes careful planning as outlined above. Remember to keep your objectives in mind, and use questions asked as a launch pad to talk about these objectives. For short 15-30 second spots, be clear concise and point directly to your objectives, while in longer interviews remember to repeat several times your objectives.
TV and radio interviews are often edited and played in parts, so your answers should be self-contained and shouldn’t’ rely on the context of the question asked to make sense.
In any case talk to the station or studio for help. They will be able to guide you in the process of being interviewed, as well what to wear, and will more than likely provide makeup services for both men and women who will appear on TV.