Media Interview Preparation Checklist: Your Key to Confidence

Media interviews can be a bit like buses.

You might not have any for a while. Then suddenly interview opportunities come along, and you are in demand.

We often hear from delegates during our media training that there can be a gap between the course and the next media interview.

And when you get a media interview opportunity, there may not be much time to prepare, practice or brush up on your skills.

So, wouldn't it be handy to have a basic media interview checklist to help you make the most of the great opportunity a media interview offers?

 

Confirm the basics

There are arguably more exciting places to begin a media interview checklist.

But you must get the basics right.

When will the interview take place?

What's the subject?

What media outlet will you be speaking to?

Who is the journalist?

What is the format of the interview? If it is on TV or radio, is it live or pre-recorded?

Are they interviewing anyone else for the story?

What's the location or will you be doing the interview virtually?

How long is the interview likely to last?

 

Researching your interviewer

Once you've gathered that essential information, it is time to probe a little deeper.

What do you know about the reporter you will be speaking to?

Are they a specialist journalist for your sector or industry? Have they covered your company or organisation before?

What about your competitors?

If you don't know much about them, Google and social media are your friends. Most reporters are on X - or Twitter, as it is better known. What stories do they cover? Do they seem to have a particular interest?

Do they have a reputation for asking challenging questions? Try and find some examples of interviews they have conducted you can listen to or watch.

And consider the media outlet.

Who is their audience? How influential is it (readership, viewing/listening figures)? Is it known for holding a particular stance?

Being interviewed for a national BBC News programme is hugely different to speaking to a journalist from a trade publication website.

 

Aim

A media interview must have a purpose.

Avoid vague aims like 'raise awareness'.

What do you want to achieve?

The key is to think about what you want the audience to do, think, or feel once they have seen, heard or read the interview.

If you are preparing to launch a new product or service, for example, the objective could be to show the difference it will make to lives and how it differs from what is already on the market.

 

Know your message

Once you are sure about the aim of the interview, think about the message you want to get across.

Yes, we did mean 'message' and not 'key messages' or 'talking points'.

Your audience will not remember more than one major point, no matter how good you are.

During our media training courses, we tell our clients to develop a simple and brief message.

It must be capable of being summarised in a single sentence of no more than 20 words. Otherwise, it is likely to be too complicated for people to recall.

 

Storytime

What stories can you include in your interview answers to support your message and bring it to life?

Without a story, messages are empty statements.

The best ones are human. People want to hear about other people.

They draw the audience into what you have to say, make it relevant, create a connection and bring interviews to life.

Facts and figures are another vital way of supporting your message with evidence.

 

Preparing for tough questions

Your subject may seem positive. But it is likely you will still face tough questions.

Reporters tend not to just ask questions you want to answer.

The good news is difficult and unhelpful questions can often be anticipated. So, you can prepare for them.

For example, if your organisation had negative coverage a few months ago, that could be brought into the interview. If the CEO’s pay or bonus has attracted controversy, then that is also likely to become a line of questioning.

Once you've done that, consider your response.

How's your bridging? If you've not used this crucial media training technique lately, practice with a colleague or family member.

And remember, no matter how tough the questions feel, remain composed.

 

Expect the unexpected

What are the wider issues the interviewer might want to talk about?

They often - but not always - come at the end of the interview as 'while I've got you here' and 'and finally' questions.

It may be about a story in the news, something happening in your industry, or a new Government policy or initiative, to give a few examples.

Spokespeople need to answer these questions in a way that prevents them from becoming the focus of the interview.

 

Rehearse (but don't sound scripted)

Shake off the media interview rust with a rehearsal.

Ask a colleague to take the role of interviewer and put you through your paces. Encourage them to ask difficult questions (and give honest feedback). Record it on your phone.

It may turn out differently from the real thing, but the practice will give you a feel for responding to questions under pressure and trying to steer the conversation.

But don't overdo it. To connect with the audience, you need to create a natural-sounding conversation.

If you appear scripted and robotic, it will damage your credibility, and people will switch off.