News & Views

Whether it’s national, regional or at a local level, media interviews can be tough especially if you are unprepared.  Many of our clients carry round a Freshfield media interview tips card and here we share them with you. Feel free to use.

Before agreeing to an interview – ask: 

- What is the interview about and what is it for?
- What areas will be covered?
- How long will it last?
- Will the interview be face-to-face or over the phone?
- When will it take place?
- When do they need to know your decision? 

After agreeing to be interviewed – remember: 

- Be prepared – your comments will appear in print or be broadcast
- Try and be confident – this is your interview
- Be positive and not defensive
- Be courteous but also cautious with journalists
- Write down or memorise 3-5 key points. 

During the interview: 

- Keep calm
- Think about your answers and try to be positive when putting your points across
- Keep your language simple and avoid jargon
- Speak simply and avoid long titles or initials
- If the interviewer makes any mistakes – correct them
- Try not to say “I think” – it doesn’t sound positive.

For radio:

- Try and sound enthusiastic and convincing
- Do not start sentences with “well”
- Try and avoid saying “ums” and “ahs”.

For television:

- Sit still and upright in the chair – try not to rock or move
- Nod when introduced and at the end of the interview
- Always look at the interviewer and ignore the camera
- Try not to fall for the interviewer’s pregnant pauses, which aim to make you babble on
- Do not wear anything distracting.

Pitfalls:

- Never say “no comment”
- Beware of multiple questions – only answer your point
- Be careful of any questions starting with “So what you are saying is…” – only answer in your own words
- Keep statistics simple: say “half” or “on in three” instead of 50% or 30%
- Be wary of any irrelevant questions – they may be leading questions
- Avoid saying “firstly” and “secondly”.

Off the record:

- Avoid talking off the record to journalists – assume everything you say will be quoted.