Did you see the BBC interview with the Royal Mail boss about the postal workers' pay dispute?
Did you spot anything unusual about it?
Well, it seems he may have had an aide writing responses or crucial points for him on a whiteboard as he spoke.
And it distracted from the message he wanted to get across.
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It happened when Simon Thompson appeared on BBC Breakfast last week via a video link.
As he responded to questions from presenter Jon Kay, eagle-eyed viewers noticed a reflection behind him, which appeared to show an aide feeding answers.
The Communication Workers Union seized upon those posts and later released enhanced footage of someone writing ‘answers on a board’ for the boss.
CWU tweeted out the clip with the message: "We have spotted something during Simon Thompson’s car crash interview on the BBC this morning.
"Having zoomed in, someone is in the room writing answers on a board for him.
"Pack your bags, Thompson. It’s time to go."
WE NEED EVERY SINGLE FOLLOWER TO RT THIS
— The CWU (@CWUnews) November 30, 2022
We have spotted something during Simon Thompson’s car crash interview on the BBC this morning.
Having zoomed in, someone is in the room writing answers on a board for him.
Pack your bags, Thompson. It’s time to go. #StandByYourPost pic.twitter.com/QI7jvDEm3O
That footage has now had more than 1.8 million views.
The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) also tweeted about this video, saying, "This just proves that everybody, including Simon Thompson, relies on postal staff to deliver their messages for them."
This just proves that everybody, including Simon Thompson, relies on postal staff to deliver their messages for them.#StandByYourPost https://t.co/PkLyVjCGyJ
— RMT (@RMTunion) December 1, 2022
Nicely done.
But it has been hugely embarrassing for Mr Thompson. Here’s what the newspapers made of it:
Royal Mail boss caught being 'fed answers' on post strike in 'car crash' interview Mirror
Royal Mail boss left red-faced after aide spotted 'writing answers on a board for him' Express
There were also some damning social media posts about the footage.
If Royal Mail CEO Simon Thompson can’t do an interview without an assistant writing his answers for him on a whiteboard.
— BladeoftheSun (@BladeoftheS) December 2, 2022
Why does he get £2m a year?
Now we know that every time Simon Thompson does an interview he’s being told what to say, reading from a board. Like a 6 year old in their first nativity play. Imagine having this bloke as the CEO of a British Institution that’s served the public for over 500 years. Oh hang on… pic.twitter.com/ezqjG4PORk
— Joe Wagg (@joewagg23) December 1, 2022
So, what media training lessons can we learn from this?
Well, whatever was being written on the board didn't help. Mr Thompson evaded a question about whether he attended the latest round of talks five times - something that is never a good look in a media interview.
But. if the footage is as it seems, it suggests a lack of trust. Either the CEO doesn’t trust himself to respond well to media questions. Or the comms team don’t trust him to do it.
And it creates the impression of a boss and organisation that is defensive, uncertain and uncomfortable in the media spotlight.
At the very least, writing answers on a whiteboard will create responses that sound scripted.
Comms professionals must step back and trust spokespeople to do the job they have prepared them for.
And senior leaders must have faith in their ability to respond to difficult questions.
Put it this way, is there anything Mr Thompson could have said in that interview that would have been more damaging than clips that suggest he needed an aide to write the answers?
This is the first time I’ve seen this form of interview intervention.
But regular readers of our media training blogs will know that PR and comms team interventions have happened before. And when they do, they rarely work out well.
You may recall earlier this year Harry Potter actor Tom Felton was prevented from answering a question about JK Rowling as he promoted a new attraction at the Warner Bros Studio Tour.
Sky News was blocked from asking actor Tom Felton a question about JK Rowling during an event at Warner Studios Tour last week.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) June 30, 2022
Warner Bros has admitted it was 'wholly wrong' - more on this story here: https://t.co/xi7a6QfoDo pic.twitter.com/9k43I5kKmb
That intervention triggered a furious response from Sky News, that said: “PRs don't and shouldn't - for all sorts of reasons not least press freedom - dictate Sky News editorial direction.”
And Warner Bros later released a statement admitting it was “wholly wrong” to block the question.
Ultimately an attempt to avoid an awkward question resulted in negative media coverage and subsequent backtracking.
A similar intervention came when Mel Gibson spoke about his new film on Fox News. When the interviewer asked about the Will Smith Oscar’s slap, his publicist stopped the interview saying, “Hello Jesse, thank you - that’s our time.”
Mel Gibson was asked on Fox News his thoughts about the Will Smith-Chris Rock slap — and his handler immediately moved to shut it down pic.twitter.com/XNlUbpUHwg
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) April 3, 2022
Perhaps the most infamous example came when the then Persimmon boss Jeff Fairburn faced a question about his bonus.
Mr Fairburn initially seemed prepared to answer before an off-screen voice – presumably belonging to an adviser – interjected, and he stopped talking.
When the question was put to him again, he said: “I’d rather not talk about that. It has been well covered actually.”
The CEO left his role a short time later.
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As we stress during our media training courses, preparation and anticipation are crucial for handling uncomfortable questions.
Tricky questions can often be anticipated. And spokespeople and their advisers can consider how they would respond to them.
So, should comms professionals sit in on media interviews?
This is a question that has long been debated. And there isn’t a clear-cut answer.
If you have an experienced spokesperson, who has had recent media training, and the interview subject is not controversial, do you need to be there?
Letting them carry out the interview on their own could help create an impression of greater transparency. It could also allow the spokesperson to build positive relationships with reporters, which can help raise their profile as an industry leader or expert and see the journalist want to interview them again.
But sitting in on an interview can be vital to the success of an interview if you have an inexperienced and nervous spokesperson who needs a reassuring presence in the room. Or if your organisation is in crisis media management mode.
But, whether they sit in the interview or not, it’s vital distractions are avoided. That means not jumping in when difficult questions are asked. Or writing answers on a whiteboard.
Every interjection has the potential to damage an interview and change the focus of the story.
Trust your spokespeople to deliver your message.
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