How do you persuade a reluctant media spokesperson?
What can you do if a journalist refuses to move on from a tricky area?
Can you use a message too often during a media interview?
These are some of your brilliant questions asked during our recent media skills refresher webinar.
James White, our CEO, and Elisa Colton, one of our expert tutors, tackled some of them during the session.
But there were more questions than time.
So, we thought we would put them all together in a blog with our answers.
Q: What politicians do you think are good media communicators (and why)?
A: There are probably easier questions to tackle at the start.
And it is crucial to remember that interviews with politicians are often significantly different to those most other spokespeople can expect to face. But there are things you can learn from them.
While I have not seen a huge amount of Darren Jones, I have been impressed when I have caught his interviews.
I remember one on LBC when he was in the shadow cabinet. He was asked if his party would repeal voter ID rules if elected. And he replied: “I don’t know, actually, that’s a good question. I only see economic policy, so I don’t know what our position is on it.”
After being praised by presenter Iain Dale for his honesty, he replied: “I like to say ‘I don’t know’ when I don’t know. I get told off sometimes for doing it. But come back to me when we publish our manifesto, and I’ll let you know.”
'I've got my lines!'
— LBC (@LBC) April 24, 2024
After answering, 'I don't know', to a caller's question on voter IDs, Shadow Minister Darren Jones receives a text from Labour to clarify the party's position. pic.twitter.com/uWy6zYjC3U
You don’t often see a politician answer a question like that. It takes confidence and bravery. But I'm sure the public would prefer politicians take this approach rather than attempt to answer something different.
I asked a colleague what politicians he thought came across well in interviews, and he named Angela Rayner. And I think that is a solid suggestion. You may not agree with everything she says, but she is relatable, human and authentic. And she builds a connection with the audience.
I was also impressed with Ed Davey during the election campaign. The personal storytelling he showed when discussing his disabled son was compelling, moving and human.
Q: What should you do if your spokesperson is inexperienced and doesn't want to do the interview, but is the only one who can do it?
A: It is a scenario many comms professionals will have faced.
The starting point is trying to understand the reluctance. Is it because they are inexperienced? Or have they had a bad interview before? Maybe they don’t see the value of media interviews. Or they may be stacked with other work.
If it is inexperience (or a past bad experience), explain how you will work with them on messaging and identifying likely questions, particularly the negative ones, and how they should respond.
Sometimes, spokespeople feel uncomfortable because messaging uses language they may not be confident using.
Empowering and encouraging them to use their own words (within corporate guidelines), anecdotes and examples can increase confidence and bring messages to life.
If you have time, carrying out mock interviews can boost confidence. We also offer quick one-to-one media skills coaching sessions. An hour on Zoom with Elisa Colton, who led the webinar, or Victoria Smith, who you will have seen on our other webinars, allows spokespeople to practice in a safe environment, add polish to their performance and feel more confident.
If it is more of a question of time that makes them reluctant, show the value to the organisation and their careers in accepting interview requests.
Highlight what your competitors are doing in the media and how it ensures messages and stories are heard by a wider audience.
Also, outline how joining in the conversation with engaging, entertaining interviews, delivered with clarity and confidence, will ensure they are viewed as an expert in their field.
Q: How do you recommend giving feedback to a spokesperson without knocking their confidence? Any top tips?
A: Well, we have a masterclass coming up in November for members of the Media Team Academy on this subject. And you can join that membership and development programme for just £695 + vat.
I wouldn’t want to pre-empt that conversation.
But one suggestion I will share now is that you should present feedback with strengths and areas of improvement and allow your spokesperson to choose where to begin the conversation.
You could begin by saying something like, ‘I’ve got some feedback I want to give you – there is some stuff you did brilliantly and some areas we need to look at again – where do you want me to start?’.
That approach helps them to feel in control of the conversation. And most people tend to start with the areas that need improving, so you end on a high.
I would also say that ensuring feedback is specific is crucial. Talking in generalities – whether positive or negative - doesn’t help.
When I give feedback on interviews during our media training courses, it is normally framed as ‘When you did this, it came across this way, and the impact could be…’.
Q: Any guidance for encouraging 'shy' interviewees who think pre-recorded is safer than live?
A: Many people are naturally drawn to pre-recorded interviews - regardless of shyness - because they offer an apparent safety net. If you make a mistake or forget what you want to say, you can do it again.
However, there are far more benefits to live interviews than pre-recorded ones.
During our media training courses, we often find a live interview improves the performance of spokespeople.
The adrenaline kicks in, and they raise their game, knowing they only have one chance to land their message.
Consequently, they can come across as having more energy and enthusiasm for the subject.
There’s a weird equation with live interviews. They are shorter than pre-recorded ones but typically result in more air time.
So, not only can your spokesperson expect fewer questions – most likely just four or five - from the journalist, but they will also have more opportunity to get their message across.
The other thing we always stress during our training is that you have complete control over what the audience sees and hears in a live interview.
The journalist no longer gets to select which bits of the interview go out.
You can find more tips and advice on the live versus pre-record dilemma in this blog.
Q: How do you convince your leaders/stakeholders that they need media training or preparation?
A: Let’s start with media training.
There are several things you can do.
“I remember speaking to the comms manager at a leading financial company who was brilliant at getting people to attend media training,” James said during the webinar.
“When I asked her how she did it, she said she had good form in people attending training and then getting promoted.
“I think it is important they can see what they will get from the training and how it will benefit them.
“Showing what competitors are doing in the media can also work well.”
If they have had media training a long time ago, stress how the media landscape has evolved. Media training will help ensure they are equipped for new interview formats and the latest techniques used by interviews.
One common media training obstacle is that senior leaders fear being embarrassed in front of colleagues.
But media training is not about embarrassing people. It is about building confidence in answering tough questions, having the composure to manage different interview styles and unexpected twists, getting your message across, understanding how the media works and knowing what to expect from media appearances.
Our journalist tutors respect group dynamics, and sessions include lots of one-to-one coaching and guidance.
But we can also deliver one-to-one training if it removes this concern.
If they have had training, they should understand the importance of interview preparation.
Time constraints can sometimes be an issue. But preparation does not need to be time-consuming.
Downloading our briefing template is a great starting point.
Alternatively, encourage them to consider these crucial questions:
- What do you want to achieve from the interview?
- What is the message?
- What real-life, human examples do you have to back up your messages?
- What negative or diverting questions could come your way?
Q: Can you overdo a key message?
A: A question inspired by former Prime Minister Theresa May’s insistence on shoehorning ‘strong and stable’ into everything.
Elisa said: “You can overdo it, and I think it comes back to when a message becomes a slogan – when you don’t have something to back it up.
“Saying ‘strong and stable’ repeatedly does not mean anything.
“Bring the examples. If you have a good one, it does the job for you. Show, don’t tell.”
Q: How do you get spokespeople not to fill silences?
A: Silence can feel awkward. And it can feel particularly uncomfortable during a media interview, which is why so many spokespeople feel compelled to fill it.
“You can use the power of the pause,” Elisa said.
“Or you can see silence as an opportunity to steer the interview back to what you want to say. You can fill a silence by saying something like, ‘Let me tell you about someone else in our organisation who is doing this…”.
“Remember, you are not just there to answer questions. You are there to get your message across.”
Q: Would you put someone less senior but more confident on camera for an interview?
A: It is a question that often comes up, and it can be a tricky one to handle.
Elisa said: “I probably would, but you must skilfully navigate the internal issues if the more senior person is raring to go. Maybe, say something like ‘We want to put you forward for this more prestigious publication instead’, which is a safer option.”
James added: “It is crucial to have a range of spokespeople across the organisation because the more senior people can be difficult to pin down for interviews, and you may have better access to someone a bit lower down.”
Q: What happens if you try to move from an awkward question and the journalist keeps returning to it?
A: I’ll leave this one for our expert panel.
“That is a tough situation,” Elisa said.
“If it is not a question on your area of expertise, you can defer by saying something like, ‘I don’t have that information to hand, but what I can tell you is what we are doing on…’.
A journalist should not keep hammering you if you have said you don’t have the information on that point.”
James added: “I think it comes back to TRUTH. A journalist will allow you to move away if you add to the story and bring something their audience is interested in.”
You can read more about our TRUTH acronym in this blog post.
Q: If covering an unfolding incident, how do we prep the spokesperson to respond to events that might unfold when the interview is live?
A: When dealing with an ongoing crisis, you need dynamic preparation and briefing to ensure messages and facts are constantly updated.
That may mean snatching a few moments between interviews to get the latest information – ‘You can now confirm that...’, ‘We now know that…’.
A crisis moves quickly, and a spokesperson could find themselves in a situation where the journalist has more information about the story than you. It might even be the case a journalist could learn some breaking news from their producer who is speaking in their ear.
In these instances, a spokesperson should have the confidence to say they have only just learnt about this and need to speak to their team to confirm the information.
It is vital they don’t feel pressured to respond. The worst thing they can do is speculate or try to answer a question they are unsure of.
Of course, a journalist loves it when a spokesperson speculates so they could well push the interviewee for a comment.
During a crisis, a spokesperson needs a reason to end an interview. By using the bridging technique, they can explain why it is crucial that they get back to managing the ‘evolving situation’ and that the media and PR team will liaise with the journalist to confirm when the next update will be issued.
Q: What should you look out for when you are an observer at a media training session you have organised for your company's spokespeople, so you can best prepare them in future?
A: We always encourage our comms, PR and media team clients to observe the training they have organised.
Aside from providing valuable time with your senior leaders, it also gives you a chance to witness how their confidence and skills develop during the session. And, as the question implies, it will also help you with coaching and preparing them for their future media performances.
Firstly, you should look for people who enjoy talking to journalists. Ultimately, when you need a spokesperson, you want them to be willing to say yes to the media opportunities you find.
You should also pay close attention to their ability to remain unflustered and calm during mock interviews.
Another top tip is to listen for the stories, examples, and personal case studies the delegates create, hone and share during their training. It can be helpful when pitching your stories and coaching other spokespeople internally.
When booking training, ensure you select a company that provides you with extensive post-course delegate feedback.
During our courses, we provide two types of feedback. One is for the eyes of the delegates and reminds them of the areas where they did well and those where they might need to spend more time practising. The other feedback report is only intended for the comms and media teams. It offers a frank opinion on the types of interviews and media formats the spokesperson would be suitable for.
When prepping and briefing your spokespeople for future interviews, be mindful that they are all individuals and will have different views on what works best for them. For example, some want extensive briefings and will benefit from plenty of support around messaging and handling difficult questions. Others will perform better if you adopt a lighter touch and don’t overwhelm them.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 35 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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