As news broke yesterday about the shooting at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Newtown, CT, the media interviewed several children. Questions quickly arose regarding shining a spotlight on such young students immediately after many of them witnessed the horrific events that unfolded only minutes earlier.
Soon I began to notice talking heads like Wolf Blitzer announcing each interview with a disclaimer that they had received permission from the parents. Many of these children were now shown standing alongside their guardians.
While many viewers, including myself, question the morality of interviewing young witnesses after such a traumatic event, some reporters persistently interview the smallest survivors without speaking with their parents first. Adam Gabbatt, a reporter for The Guardian, noted on Twitter this morning that some members of the media are continuing to disregard the privacy of minors:
Just interviewed very brave 10-year-old girl, with her mum’s permission. Surprised how many others didn’t ask for it
It is unfortunate that some members of the media will chase a sound-bite at the expense of children. It is critical that we all adhere to our moral compass, especially in a crisis.
So you want to shoot an online video to tell your organization’s story. Among the many decisions you will have to make will be choosing a style. How will you feature your topic? Who will be onscreen or will it be free of live action? In this series I will show you several styles that have worked well for organizations so that you can find the most suitable given your topic and resources.
The Straight Interview A popular style among organizations with limited financial resources is to tell their story straight to the camera in a single take. Even without hiring a film crew, although I do recommend securing a professional, you can create a decent video using this method. You should be aware however that there are several hazards to avoid.
Spokesperson Many organizations make the mistake of shooting a straight interview based solely on limited funds. You should only choose to shoot in this style if you have an engaging spokesperson. It doesn’t matter if your CEO or head of communications can tell a good joke. If they are not engaging on camera then they should not to be filmed.
Story Regardless of your video’s style you need a solid story. Nonprofits too frequently fall victim to believing that their mission is enough to motivate supporters. This rarely works if at all. You will need a gripping story that can be genuinely told if your video is going to be a success.
Show If you ever took a creative writing course you will remember your instructor telling you to “show don’t tell.” Someone who has experienced your mission should emotionally tell your featured monologue. If the subject is not engaged then the audience won’t be either.
Scenery Your setting is another way to show and not tell your story. Just because you are focused on a single person you should not ignore the scenery. There is a reason why many videos are shot on location. Pick a setting that brings life to the story. What props will add to the story and bring the viewer closer to the world you are trying to share.
Script You may be tempted to write a script. Don’t. Scripts make people nervous and unless he or she is a professional actor they are not likely able to memorize pages of lines. Instead review the topics that you want them to touch on and provide them with an outline if they need to organize their thoughts. Some people are natural storytellers such as the man in the example video below. Do a few takes off the cuff. You may be surprised with how engaging people are when they speak naturally.
Here is a video that takes all of these points into account. InvisiblePeople.tv has a selection of interviews with homeless people. I encourage you to visit their site and watch more examples if you choose to shoot in this style.
I have always disliked “no comment” as an answer to a reporter’s question. I had it laid in my lap several times when I started out as a journalist and later watched as other PR executives and spokespeople thought they could dodge a pointed question with the slippery phrase. Maybe it was my curiosity, but “no comment” always raised more questions in my mind. It also looks awful in print.
I take pride that in more than 10 years of communications I have never provided a “no comment” response to a question. You may be thinking, “Good for you, but I get asked the tough questions and sometimes ‘no comment’ is the only possible answer.”
If that’s what you think I would ask you to be a little more creative in your question/answer process. I was lucky to have a mentor for a large part of my career when it came to working my way through this process. For more than five years I worked daily with a lawyer, doctor, and head of law enforcement…all of which were the same person. I would talk through possible questions before interviews and he would take me through his thought process that included providing answers without ever providing a “no comment.”
So how is it done? First you must remember to never accept the premise of a question. You must also always try to uncover the motivation behind why each question was posed. Beyond that, practice, practice, practice. Here are a few questions that reporters will ask and several answers that will help you avoid a “no comment”:
Q: “If your organization faced [insert hardship here] what would you do?” Reporters are fond of asking “What if?” type questions when the real account of an event is less than gripping. This is perhaps one of the most common “tough” questions to answer. A: “I do not respond to hypotheticals, however if you wish to discuss the actual event I am more than happy to do so.”
Q: “You spoke with [insert partner name here]. What are they doing?” Following in the hypothetical line of questioning, reporters also like to ask you to spill the beans on partners and sponsors. This tactic is frequently used when your partner will not answer the same question or the reporter has yet to contact them and is looking for an easy two-for-one interview from you. A: “You should really speak with [insert partner name here] directly if you want to know the answer to that question. Here is the contact information for their public relations person.”
Q: “Well how much does your CEO earn?” The media is always interested in compensation, especially at a nonprofit. This is probably the easiest “tough” question to answer. A: “That is public information. Please refer to the link on our web site to our 990 form.” Follow up Q: “Why can’t you just tell me?” A: “It sounds as if you have not reviewed the information. Rather than go back and forth, why not review the information and then I will answer all of your questions at once?”
These are just a few questions you may be asked that will tempt you to utter “no comment.” What other tough questions have you been asked? Send them in and I will send you the non-“no comment” answer.
There are many tips when it comes to interviewing with the media. I picked up quite a few during my time at the Massachusetts SPCA when I spoke with the press several times each day. Today I want to share one of the most fundamental tips I learned.
Know Your Audience
“But I’m not after you. I’m after them.” – Nick Naylor
If you are in the PR industry you should instantly recognize the above quote from the film Thank You for Smoking. If you want to refresh your memory, take a moment to watch the scene below, it’s only about a minute.
In this scene, Nick Naylor is speaking about serving on a televised panel of experts where debates break out regularly. His advice is also a wonderful warning to help budding spokespeople when interviewing with the media either one-on-one or during a press conference.
Spokespeople
Spokespeople are in a unique position. The words that they speak one minute may not be presented to the public for hours, days, weeks, or even months depending on the media outlet. It is therefore extremely important that they understand the outlet’s audience demographic and stay on message.
Promising spokespeople can easily get caught up in a back and forth with the interviewer if they are not careful. Nick Naylor and interview veterans may thrive in this scenario because of their debate skills however this can be dangerous ground for a maturing spokesperson.
Don’t Bite, Greenhorn
Once the polite banter stops between you and the interviewer, during which you should also always stay on message, and the cameras roll, spokespeople can get hit with any number of questions. Some of the most dangerous questions to respond to are hypothetical scenarios or quotes from another source or opponent of your mission.
These challenges are frequently thrown out by the press to goad you into a sound-bite that fits nicely into their story and can take a novice completely off message. In that moment, when you make a statement directly at your opponent’s comments, you are narrowing the discussion being presented to the hundreds, thousands, or millions of supporters that may see your interview or read the article.
It is always important for up-and-coming spokespeople to remember that when you interview, you are speaking to a broader base of consumers and not only the person holding the microphone to your face. Do not become sidetracked or fall for a distraction. Stay focused and on message.
Next Steps
Once you have interviewed enough times to better control a conversation with the media, then you can practice responding to comments from opponents. The interviewer will not only appreciate you giving them a sound-bite but it will also help you make your delivery succinct. Maybe then you can get someone like Joey Naylor to eat vanilla ice cream just as his dad did.
Final Thought
No matter how many interviews you have under your belt, it is still best to stay away from hypotheticals.
Has a reporter ever gotten you to give an off-message comment you later regretted? Share your stories in the comments section below.
The job interviews have varied over the past few months since relocating to San Francisco. Some are by phone while others are full panels in the boardroom. They usually start with an HR rep and end with a private meeting with the Executive Director in his or her office. All along the way one question remains the same: “What is your social media strategy to help us raise funds?”
Given social media’s popularity in the press, especially in this area of America, I am eager to answer yet dread this question. I am conflicted because I know the answer and it is usually not what they are looking for in a candidate.
Expectations
Last summer, as the newly hired Senior Director of Communications at United Way in Boston, one of my first internal tasks was explaining and demystifying social media to the staff. The organization possessed several key users who had their own successful networks but I wanted everyone to put aside fears to better understand social media for what it is: a tool.
My presentation was called The Magic Bullet: How Social Media Will Bring About World Peace and End Global Warming. At the time people were still energized by the Arab Spring and looking for ways to unlock the secrets of Facebook and Twitter among others, and shake things up. I spent about 15 minutes, tongue fully in cheek, to make people comfortable, see the benefits of starting accounts, and justifying why you can tell your boss that your account is private and dos not include work colleagues.
After my talk, the majority of my colleagues bombarded me with questions. It was just the result I was aiming for: starting a discussion around their projects, news items, and ways to share information.
Reality
The reality of social media is that it does not solve all of your problems, regardless of what you may read. Great online campaigns that have a real impact (not one hit wonder viral successes) are born out of reputation, marketing, on the ground efforts, off-line relationship building, and above all a solid mission.
My beliefs are best summed up by this quote from a gentleman named Larry Sabato that appeared in a San Francisco Chronicle piece on the 2012 presidential campaign (Social Media Plays Bigger Role in Tampa, 8/28/12):
“Social media is a communications tool, no more, no less. The message matters far more, though. A winning message trumps a winning social media strategy.”
Unfortunately Larry’s message is 152 characters; so many people who should will never read it.
Brian Adams PR 
05
Nov
No Comment? Never.
I take pride that in more than 10 years of communications I have never provided a “no comment” response to a question. You may be thinking, “Good for you, but I get asked the tough questions and sometimes ‘no comment’ is the only possible answer.”
If that’s what you think I would ask you to be a little more creative in your question/answer process. I was lucky to have a mentor for a large part of my career when it came to working my way through this process. For more than five years I worked daily with a lawyer, doctor, and head of law enforcement…all of which were the same person. I would talk through possible questions before interviews and he would take me through his thought process that included providing answers without ever providing a “no comment.”
So how is it done? First you must remember to never accept the premise of a question. You must also always try to uncover the motivation behind why each question was posed. Beyond that, practice, practice, practice. Here are a few questions that reporters will ask and several answers that will help you avoid a “no comment”:
Q: “If your organization faced [insert hardship here] what would you do?”
Reporters are fond of asking “What if?” type questions when the real account of an event is less than gripping. This is perhaps one of the most common “tough” questions to answer.
A: “I do not respond to hypotheticals, however if you wish to discuss the actual event I am more than happy to do so.”
Q: “You spoke with [insert partner name here]. What are they doing?”
Following in the hypothetical line of questioning, reporters also like to ask you to spill the beans on partners and sponsors. This tactic is frequently used when your partner will not answer the same question or the reporter has yet to contact them and is looking for an easy two-for-one interview from you.
A: “You should really speak with [insert partner name here] directly if you want to know the answer to that question. Here is the contact information for their public relations person.”
Q: “Well how much does your CEO earn?”
The media is always interested in compensation, especially at a nonprofit. This is probably the easiest “tough” question to answer.
A: “That is public information. Please refer to the link on our web site to our 990 form.”
Follow up Q: “Why can’t you just tell me?”
A: “It sounds as if you have not reviewed the information. Rather than go back and forth, why not review the information and then I will answer all of your questions at once?”
These are just a few questions you may be asked that will tempt you to utter “no comment.” What other tough questions have you been asked? Send them in and I will send you the non-“no comment” answer.
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