Media Tips

Welcome to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's spokesperson training corner. Learn valuable techniques and tips on how to conduct a successful interview with your local newspaper and radio reporters.

Our goal is to promote Wisconsin's dairy business and explain what it means to the state's economy and its residents. This is a good story, and it's up to each of us to tell it every chance we get. The dairy business IS Wisconsin, and its ripple effects benefit every community, large and small, rural and urban.

Eye Contact

Maintain eye contact with your interviewer:

• Think about how you feel when someone doesn't look you in the eyes.
• You want to come across as honest and sincere.
• You don't want the reporter to think you're hiding something.
• Focusing on the reporter blocks out all other distractions.

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Facial Expression

Smile during the interview:

• You want to present an open, pleasant face during the interview.
• A friendly face suggests confidence and enhances your credibility.
• It's easier for the reporter to connect with you if you appear friendly.
• But don't smile if you have bad news to report.

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Gestures

Use gestures during the interview:

• When you gesture with your hands, it helps animate your face.
• Your voice and demeanor will be more energized when you use gestures.
• Gestures work on radio, too, because your enthusiasm will come across.

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Voice

Use your voice as a positive tool:

• Speak in a conversational tone, just as you would with your neighbor.
• A lively, energetic voice demonstrates your passion for the dairy business.
• Always keep your emotions in check.
• Speak clearly so that the reporter understands what you're saying.

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Before the Interview

Before giving an interview, remember:

• Take a deep breath. It's okay to be nervous, but channel it into positive energy.
• Gather your thoughts by reviewing the key messages you want to deliver.
• Stay calm and focus on your messages.
• Never lose your temper because you'll never win an argument with a reporter.

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Newspaper Interview

When being interviewed by a newspaper reporter:

• Prepare for a lengthy interview by being well versed on a number of topics.
• It's fair to ask in advance what topics the interview will cover.
• Know your subject thoroughly because the reporter will ask many questions.
• It's okay to refer to notes occasionally to refresh your memory.
• Speak slowly because the reporter will take notes even if taping the interview.
• Give the reporter a handout with your key messages as a handy reference.

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Radio Interview

When being interviewed by a radio reporter:

• It's okay to bring along notes, but use index cards to avoid rustling papers.
• Radio interviews are shorter so stick to 3 or 4 key messages.
• Long pauses are awkward on radio and suggest you don't know your subject.
• Hand gestures help during radio interviews because they energize your voice.
• Radio relies on words, so create word pictures when making your points (lush, rolling hills; sterilized equipment; pure milk; cows with shiny coats; rich, buttery flavor).

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Basic Tips for an Interview

When being interviewed by a radio reporter:

• Ask for the topic and scope of an interview to help you prepare properly.
• Always start off with your key messages because they are your strongest points.
• Repeat your key messages often to ensure the reporter understands your points.
• Try to use examples and anecdotes to help illustrate your messages.
• Never repeat a negative. Try to turn negatives into positives. Don't say, "No, we don't pollute the environment." Instead say, "Producers' livelihoods come from the land, so it's in our best interest to be good stewards…" Then go to your key messages.
• Keep your responses brief. Long, convoluted answers are hard for the reporter to follow, much less the reader or listener. But don't sacrifice accuracy for brevity.
• Stay away from industry jargon. No one else will understand it, and your messages will be lost (DCW, DMI, SCC, RHA).
• Don't be defensive. You know more about your subject than the reporter does. Answer the question, and then proactively offer supporting information to make your point.
• Don't be intimidated by silence. A reporter may remain silent, as if he or she didn't believe you and is waiting for another answer. Just wait for the next question.
• Don't take probing or tough questions personally. The reporter is just doing his or her job. Stick to your key messages – remember that you're talking to your audience, not the reporter.
• We're all human and we all make mistakes. Don't get upset over a reporter's mistake, especially if the mistake is only apparent to you.
• There are three ways to answer a reporter's question:
  • Give the answer.
  • Say that you don't know the answer but that you'll find out and get back to the reporter.
  • Say that you know the answer but that you can't talk about it for competitive or privacy reasons. Always give a reason. For example:
    • A reporter may ask you about personal financial matters. You don't have to provide that type of information.
    • A reporter may ask about WMMB's strategic marketing plans for this year. You could answer, "We're still in the planning stages, and we'll make announcements at the appropriate time."

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Control the Interview: Bridging and Flagging

The interview is your opportunity to effectively state your case. Therefore, it's important to take control of the interview by using devices such as:

• Bridging. This device lets you move from what the reporter wants to discuss to what you want to discuss by using such phrases as:
  • Yes, and in addition to that…" or
  • That's the way it used to be, here's how we do it now…" or
  • That's a very good question and I'll get to it in a minute. But first, let me tell you…"
• Flagging. This device helps the reporter and your audience remember your key messages by drawing specific attention to them. Use phrases such as:
  • The most important point to remember is…" or
  • I've said a lot today. But it all boils down to three key points…"

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Answers to Questions

• Always tell the truth, no matter how painful. The media will find the truth anyway and make an even bigger issue of it.
• If you don't know an answer, don't be afraid to say, "I don't know." But then make sure you get the answer later.
• Don't speculate or exaggerate – it can come back to bite you. Just stick to your key messages.

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Responding to Questions

• Take your time. The reporter's deadline shouldn't intimidate you into rushing through your key messages.
• Make sure you know what you're responding to. If you don't understand the question, ask for a clarification.
• If you stumble over your words, stop and try again. The reporter doesn't want to embarrass you. The goal for both of you is to get the best possible quotes.

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"No Comment" is Never a Good Response

• Saying "no comment" makes you look guilty, and people will think you have something to hide.
• "No comment" won't make the issue go away, and it gives the other side more time and space to make its assertions.
• You can say "No comment" without actually using those words. For example. a reporter asks you about the details of your new product launch or marketing strategy: You can say, "That's a very good question and I'd like to address it, but I'm sure our competitors would love to know the answer. We're going to let them wait until we're ready to…"

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Off the Record

There is no such thing as "off the record."

• Assume everything you tell a reporter is on the record. Don't say anything that you wouldn't want to see in print.
• Many reporters will refuse to go off the record. They're in the information business and they're not interested in information they can't use.
• There are times when you can provide information to a reporter for background in order to better understand an issue without that information being attributed to you. But assume the information will be used.

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Key Messages

Rules to follow when developing your key messages:

• Boil your messages down to 3 to 5 key points.
• Make sure your messages are true, concise, memorable and persuasive.
• Support your messages with examples or evidence.
• Messages must address what's important to your audience, not the dairy business.
• Rehearse your messages in front of a mirror and out loud so that they sound natural.
• In an interview, repeat your messages every chance you get.

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Tips for Working with the Media

Do:

• Helping reporters do their jobs will, in turn, help you achieve your goals. If you make them look good, they will be more likely to giving you a fair hearing.
• If you're not the right person for the reporter to talk to, help him or her find the right person.
• Help the reporter meet a deadline by promptly returning phone calls and being brief and to the point. Editors get very angry with reporters who miss deadline.
• We like it when people refer to us by name. So do reporters. Take the time to learn the names of the people who cover your business or industry.

Don't:

• You can ask a reporter about the topic for an interview, but don't ask to see the questions in advance.
• Asking to review an article before it runs is a major no-no. Reporters will bristle if you ask to approve the story.
• Never suggest to a reporter which of your responses to use in the article. Everything you say is fair game.
• Don't demand or reject certain reporters. You need them more than they need you.
• Never say "no comment."

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