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South Dakota State UniversityA presentation by
University Marketing and Communications
Media Training: A Short Course
Introduction and Overview
Interview skills briefing
• Why should you talk to the media?
• Keys to media interview success
• Message development
• Interview preparation
• Message delivery and techniques
You have three primary options when contacted by the media:
1. Agree to the interview.
2. Ask the journalist to contact UMC to schedule
the interview on your behalf.
3. Decline the interview.
In a crisis situation, it is critical that no
information be given to the media directly
without the assistance and clearance of UMC.
Why should you talk to the media?
• As a public, land-grant university we are obligated to be open and transparent.
• We have an obligation to keep alumni, faculty, students and other stakeholders informed.
• An interview is an opportunity to tell your story.
• If you don’t, someone else will and they may not have the best information. You are the expert.
Keys to media interview success• Develop 3-5 key messages and include
examples, anecdotes and details.
• Know your audience—a story for a local TV station should be presented differently than one to a journal or magazine.
• Ask what type of story the interviewer is working on: breaking news, a “second day” story, a trend story, etc.
Interview preparation
Ask yourself the following questions:
• Who is the audience? What matters to them?
• What is my message?
• What do I want to communicate to them and/or what do I want them to do?
• What is my objective or the objective for my department, college or SDSU for doing this interview?
• Develop the message(s) you want to deliver.
Message Development
Message delivery and techniques• Be purposeful
• Be prepared
• Listen – Think – Respond
• Control the interview
• Techniques you can use
• Techniques interviewers may use
• Roles interviewers might assume
Be purposeful• What is your reason for agreeing to an interview?
• What reasons does the interviewer have for interviewing you?
• Don’t agree to an interview until you know why the interviewer wants to talk to you.
Be prepared
Review your answers to these questions:
• Who is the audience? What matters to them?
• What is my message?
• What do I want to communicate to them and/or what do I want them to do?
• What is my objective or the objective for my department, college or SDSU for doing this interview?
Be prepared
Develop the message(s) you want to deliver.
• Jot down your 3-5 key messages or most important points that you want to deliver.
• Stick with and repeat them when possible throughout the interview.
Listen – Think – Respond • Concentrate on each question.
• Listen to the entire question.
• Think of possible implications of your answer.
• Be clear, concise and consistent.
• Respond after consideration.
• Make sure you get your messages across before the interview is finished—repetition is good.
• Always tell the truth.
Control the interview• Don’t let the interviewer lead you outside your
area of expertise.
• Don’t let an interviewer to interrupt you before you complete your answer.
• Don’t offer personal opinions—remember that you represent SDSU.
• Don’t speculate—stick with what you know.
• If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so and offer to get back to the interviewer later.
Control the interview
Never forget:
“Off-the-record” does not exist.
Control the interview• Don’t respond to questions or discuss issues
based on blind or unknown sources.
• Don’t ever respond with “No comment,” which can imply you are evading an issue or have something to hide.
• Don’t discuss people or organizations other than your own. Return to your messages to regain control.
Control the interview
Do not lose your temper,attempt to argue or
get into a fight with anyone from the media.
You cannot win.
Techniques you can use:• "Flagging" a statement as important.
• "Bridging" to something you want to say, but perhaps were not asked.
—Move beyond the question and tell your audience what you want them to know.
Techniques interviewers may use:
• Flattery: An interviewer is not your friend—you have different objectives and priorities
• Silence: Do not feel you need to fill any silences after you've answered a question and said what you intended to say
Techniques interviewers may use:
• "Lobbing softballs": Sometimes good, sometimes not—occasionally can be used to put you in a comfort zone before asking a difficult question
• Loaded questions: "When did you stop beating your wife?" You can say you're not sure how to answer their question and ask that they clarify or rephrase.
Techniques interviewers may use:
• Creating controversy: "Your colleague down the road said, this. How do you respond?" Avoid a direct answer and bridge back to your talking points: "I don't know what my colleague thinks, but I believe …"
• Pushing hot buttons: Pause before answering any question that stirs up strong emotions and, if possible, think of a way to bridge back to one of your talking points.
Roles interviewers might assume:
• The Friend: behaves like a confidant, someone on “your side.”
• The Machine Gunner: bombards you with rapid fire questions, tries to get you off balance.
• The Dart Thrower: attempts to needle you with hostile or confrontational language.
• The Interrupter: interrupts, usually to get you off message.
Roles interviewers might assume:
• The Paraphraser: rephrases what you say in order to make it better fit their needs.
Never agree with or repeat an interviewer's incorrect or negative language.
Questions?
UMC leadership• Mike Lockrem, Director
• Mark Luebker, Strategic Communications
• Matt Schmidt, Senior News Editor
• Andrea Kieckhefer, Creative Services and Branding
• Katy Griffin, Web and New Media• Michelle Watkins, Office Manager
