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Home > Resources > Meet the Media > Difficult Situations MEET THE MEDIA Difficult situations There are good reporters and bad reporters. Most are concerned with honesty, accuracy, getting the story straight and getting it first. A few are openly biased or flagrantly antagonistic – reporters who try to make you lose your cool and say something you'll regret. All reporters, however, have one primary goal: to get information. And whether they are good or bad, they may use interviewing techniques that are difficult to handle. Loaded questions The reporter lists three to five items to build a case and then asks the "loaded" question. Begin by either accepting or countering the statements, then bridge to your message.
The reporter asks you to choose between one extreme or the other, neither being acceptable.
The reporter creates a hypothetical situation and follows up with a specific question. Don't respond to the hypothetical; state your message.
Essentially, the reporter is asking you to speak for someone else. Don't do it, especially if you did not hear the individual make the statement yourself. It's possible the person was misquoted. Divide and conquer Reporters may want to divide you from your superiors or colleagues by asking, "How would YOU handle this?" If something is out of your area of expertise, say so. Then bridge to your message.
Reporters' questions may contain false premises. Respond by countering immediately or a viewer may accept the false premise.
Never repeat a reporter's negative statements. Reporters often ask questions in a hostile manner. When responding, turn the sentence around and stress the positive. Use your own words; don't repeat a reporter's hostile question filled with buzzwords. Remember, they will quote you, not themselves.
Machine gunning The reporter asks a string of questions simultaneously. Let them build a trap. Use body language (your hand) to stop it. Then respond by simply answering the one question that you most want to answer, ignoring the other parts, then bridge to your message. Interrupter The reporter interrupts you while you're trying to answer a question. Respond politely, yet firmly: "Let me finish answering your last question first..." Embarrassing silence Beware of the reporter who remains silent, encouraging you to ramble on and on. Once you feel you've answered the question, stop. If you continue, you may end up providing them ammunition with which to shoot you. There are several things you can do to fill an embarrassing silence. You can ask, "Do you have any other questions?" You can ask, "Have I answered your question?" or you can just remain silent. Set-up If you feel the reporter is setting you up, chances are you're right. Reporters often think they know the answers before they've asked the questions. Let them know that you are the expert. Ambush It's not uncommon for reporters to ambush a news source outside their office or home. Respond as if the reporter had called you on the phone. You might ask what the story is about and when they need the information. Tell the reporter when you or someone else will be able to get back to them. You are not obligated to consent to the ambush interview if you are unprepared or the time is inconvenient. When asked a question on top of a question Slow down. Patiently answer one question at a time. The reporter often will look rude in these situations. When heckled by a questioner Be sensitive to the feel of the interview. You may want to answer a question very briefly or be silent while the reporter continues. Keep your cool. When asked a tough question Avoid such platitudes as, "That's a very good question" or "I'm glad you asked that question." The audience recognizes such devices as obvious stalls. It is all right to pause briefly before responding. Dead time is seldom aired on the news, and silences obviously can't be quoted in print. If your interview is live, a short pause often will give the impression that you wish to make a thoughtful response.
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Meet the Media Introduction Media relations Rules for success When a reporter calls During the interview Difficult situations Public information In an emergency Delivery After the interview Your rights
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