What makes a good media story? Of the various raw ingredients there are two that stand out – anything unusual and human. It’s little surprise then that Karen Blackett, OBE, is such a good subject for a media interview.
As chief executive of MediaCom, the largest UK media agency in the UK, managing over £1bn in advertising spend for the likes of Proctor & Gamble and Volkswagen among others, Ms Blackett is the first businesswoman to top the Black Powerlist 100 for 2015 as most influential black person in Britain. The fact that the list has just been published, of course, gives her topicality too – another important feature of a media interview.
She appeared on the business strand of the Today programme this morning and immediately interviewer Simon Jack picked up another element of a good media story – a bit of trouble or scandal.
“It seems astonishing that no one has asked you sit on a board,” he asks Karen Blackett, making the point that black people, even those with excellent business experience and credentials, are often overlooked by head hunters recruiting non executive directors.
His guest could continue with this negative theme and talk about discrimination. However, she decides to take a more positive tack. Selection for boards, she says happens, “in either an informal way, where it’s about networks, or formally which involves head hunters. They have a responsibility to widen their network of candidates.”
A good positive answer with a strong call to action, but perhaps she could have added something about her personal experience.
She goes on to add some interesting statistics about women in the boardroom. “We’ve seen numbers increase from 11 per cent to 23 per cent since the Davis Report,” she points out. “Vince Cable has called for more ethnic diversity on boards and it’s common business sense.” Using one or two simple statistics during a broadcast interview is a good thing. Any more than this and you’ll lose your audience.
Simon Jack then asks: “57 per cent of your senior team are women. What tangible difference does it make to the business?” It’s an invitation to tell a story or a give an example. Stories, anecdotes and examples are what journalists are always looking for – because we know that it’s what our audiences want.
Karen Blackett answers: “You only have to look at the purchasing power of Britain and diversity of Britain. You’re future proofing your business if you can have people on your boards to build empathy and understand the target audience for your business.” It’s a very good answer because it’s a great mixture of warning and advice – two things that will grab the attention of the target audience and hold their interest.
However, she could then develop this by telling a story perhaps about how one of her senior female executives has used her feminine insights or experience as a woman to improve a product, influence a decision for the good or to improve on the suggestion made by a male colleague. An anecdote or case study would help to illustrate her point here.
“Should we still have to have these awards, are they an anachronism?” asks Simon Jack. Again, it’s a question based on a negative premise that could have resulted in something of a counsel of despair or a simple whinge but instead Blackett turns it around nicely.
“They’re incredibly useful,” she says. “When I was growing up in Reading and looking at role models my career adviser gave me two options - a nurse and a teacher, both of which are worthy careers but that’s what they felt my career would be. I think magazines like the Powerlist and awards like the Powerlist are a great source of inspiration for young black people in the UK today because they offer a range of jobs and careers. They should also act as a recruitment pull for those headhunters.”
It’s a great answer because it’s personal and personal testament is so powerful and convincing. She’s right to mention the detail of growing up in Reading because it helps us to understand more about Blackett and it says so much about the experience of young black people. There’s also a strong call to action aimed at those City recruiters. She’s also right, of course, to praise nursing and teaching as professions. Again, she could even go into more detail here and tell some more personal stories.
Finally, Jack asks about quotas. If Blackett had backed a call for quotas in the boardroom she would probably have created a new story – and one that she didn’t necessarily want to create.
“Personally, I don’t agree with quotas but what I believe in is widening the net or broadening the door,” she says. “You’re fishing but not just one part of the pond.” It’s a good, practical point. Again, an example, even something hypothetical, would have worked well here, to illustrate what exactly she means.
So, Karen Blackett is certainly a very good interviewee. She’s passionate, confident and speaks at the right pace with the right amount of energy behind her delivery. Very importantly she’s right not to let Simon Jack set the agenda and push the interview in a negative direction.
A few more examples, stories, case studies and especially some personal anecdotes would be great. Also, although Blackett does well to avoid accepting some of Simon Jack’s more negative suggestions she should be able to lead the interview a little bit more herself by answering Simon Jack’s questions but then taking control of the conversation and proactively introducing her own points - such a talented, experienced business leader could easily lead an interview if she wants to.
You can listen to the interview in full here.
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