Exposing Media Reporters Tricks

Whether journalists make you look good or bad in the process is inconsequential to them their loyalty is to their story, and their goal is to elicit the most dramatic quotes possible from you.

Media Skills Training and Media Reporters Tricks

A reporter’s job is to get the most accurate and interesting story they can.

Whether journalists make you look good or bad in the process is inconsequential to them their loyalty is to their story, and their goal is to elicit the most dramatic quotes possible from you.

Tricks Of The Trade

By knowing some of these media reporters tricks, you can maintain control of the interview and get the quotes you want. You will also feel more in control if you learn about communication in general, such as understanding the seven barriers to communication and how they impact the way you deliver your messages.

This is not to suggest that you should view every encounter with reporters as adversarial.

In fact, most media interviews are quite straightforward.

But a good journalist will try to steer you off message.

Off Message

They will use well-established media reporter’s tricks of the trade to get you to say things you didn’t intend to say, and some of those things might prove embarrassing when you see them in the newspaper the next day.

Below are three ways to avoid falling into a reporter’s trap:

1) Never Repeat A Bad Question

Never Repeat a Bad Question in Your Answer — It usually starts innocuously enough. A journalist will tell you that because his or her questions will not be included in the story, you should answer the questions in complete sentences.

For example, if a reporter asks

“Are you pleased with the number of donations your organisation received this year?”

They are asking you to answer by saying

“Our organisation is pleased with the number of donations we’ve received this year.”

It makes perfect sense and is a legitimate way of conducting an interview.

But occasionally they will use another of their media reporters tricks, a reporter will ask a negative question without warning. You have to break the rules here and answer the question as a positive.

For example, if a reporter asks you, Is it true that your organisation has committed fraud?” you probably don’t want your quote the next day to say, It isn’t true that our organisation committed fraud.” Such a quote links your organisation to the word fraud,” an association you’d probably rather not make.

Assuming, of course, that your business did not commit fraud, you should answer that question in a positive manner, such as, In our 35 years of business, we have always taken great pains to ensure that our business operates within the word and spirit of the law. We have operated ethically in this case, as we strive to in all of our dealings.”

2) Don’t Fill The Silence

Shhhhh! — During most interviews, reporters will ask a steady stream of questions and you will answer them. No surprises there. But remember the goal of the journalist is they want to steer you off message in order to elicit a more interesting response.

Sometimes, after you finish answering the reporter’s question, the reporter will use another of their media reporter’s tricks. They will just sit there as if they want you to continue speaking.

The silence usually flusters the interviewee, who tries to please the interviewer by speaking again and usually strays far off message in the process. Don’t fall into this trap! If you find yourself in a reportorial stare-down, simply ask whether the reporter has another question and move on.

3) Don’t Assume the Reporter Knows What He Says He Knows

For this one, I’ll turn it over to Eric Nalder, an investigative reporter for the respected San Jose Mercury News.

In his article, The Art of the Interview, Nalder writes

“Play like you know. Ask the official why he fired the whistle-blower rather than asking whether he did the deed.
The question presumes you already know even if you don’t have it confirmed. They’ll start explaining rather than denying.”
Eric Nalder

In other words, by falling into this trap when dealing with the media, you may be the person who confirms a negative story about your own organisation. If the reporter has made a false assumption, speak up.

If not, don’t help the journalist confirm it unless you’ve made a conscious choice to do so.

This article was contributed by Brad Phillips

Read – What to do After the Media Interviews You