I had the privilege of serving as a deputy press secretary for Gov. Schwarzenegger and as press secretary for the US Department of Education under Pres. George W. Bush. And since starting Mach 1, I’ve advised countless clients before they get in the chair for media interviews. So when I tell you that one thing above all else determines a decent vs a campaign-defining story, maybe you’ll take my word for it. You guessed it – know your reporter.
You can memorize your talking points, perfect your soundbites and show up camera-ready – but nothing prepares you better than doing your homework on who’s asking the questions. Before you walk into any interview, here’s what we recommend researching.
Know Their Stories
What has your reporter written on your topic? Is it favorable, unfavorable, highly-informed, ill-informed, biased? It’s imperative to look at their prior work to get a sense of how they approach your issue.
Know the Beat
What does your reporter typically cover? Are they deeply embedded in your issue area, or are they a general assignment reporter? Understanding their beat helps you gauge how much context you’ll need to provide, and whether you should spend time educating versus reinforcing key points.
Understand the Angle
Is the story driven by a breaking development, or is it more informational in nature? Knowing the angle allows you to seamlessly integrate your messaging into their line of questioning. If the angle isn’t clearly stated, take a look at their recent coverage and social media activity to see how they’ve discussed related issues in the past.
Does Your Reporter Have a “Type”?
Reporters with a clear agenda often fall into a few familiar patterns. Most journalists are fair, thoughtful and genuinely want to accurately portray their guests’ stories — but it’s still smart to prepare for these four reporter types I’ve encountered over the years:
- The Prognosticator: Pushes hypotheticals and asks you to comment on future events that haven’t been confirmed or announced.
- The Shot-Gunner: Fires off rapid-fire questions in quick succession, hoping you’ll slip up.
- The Disarmer: Builds rapport early, then pops unexpected or off-guard questions.
- The Paraphraser: Repeats your statements back to you – subtly altered – and asks you to agree.
Every market is different. Local, statewide, national, print, broadcast – each comes with its own dynamics and expectations. No matter the outlet, reporter research will help achieve the outcome you’re hoping for.
But we’ll leave you with one final rule to remember: An interview isn’t a conversation. It’s a performance.
