Any interview is generally a conversation between two people so the type of media being used shouldn’t matter that much. However, it’s surprising the number of people who prefer one format over another. The team at Hawkeye Media can ensure you entire team is ready to deliver your message on brand to any format in their media training courses.
Media Interview Formats
Some people love TV because it allows them to get their point of view across more forcibly or engagingly. Your body language is on display and people can see you in person. Others like radio more because they are reticent about appearing on TV. There can be something unnerving about having a camera trained on you.
One thing we can say is that the way you speak can sometimes be slightly different – you often need to express yourself more clearly on the radio if you want to attract attention because there is no supporting body language.
Apart from working on your appearance for TV, the process for preparing for an interview is the same whether it’s in front of a camera or at the end of a phone line.
Know What You’re Being Interviewed For
It may sound like common sense, but when a journalist asks to speak to you it’s important to find out a few more details. Who are they and who do they work for? Where will the interview be aired? Will it be live? What’s the medium? What subjects are being covered and how long is it likely to be?
Having as much information as possible gives you the chance to prep properly and ensure you have all the right answers ready to hand.
It’s a good idea to do at least a little research about the journalist and look at some of their past work. This should not only settle any nerves but will give you an idea of the type of questioning you may be facing.
Preparing for Interview
It’s essential whether you are conducting radio or TV interviews to have your key points ready and think about what outcome you are looking for beforehand.
Although this is largely going to be determined by the journalist’s questions, you can certainly think of alternative scenarios and come up with appropriate responses to them. This is especially important if there has been a crisis and the interview could well be confrontational because your company was involved.
Keep your main talking points down to about three, no more than four. If you have too many things to consider, you could end up floundering looking for the right answer after a question has been asked.
That doesn’t mean when you get asked a question you are going to repeat the same thing. It also helps to have human examples, where possible, to illustrate any points you want to make, as this makes things more engaging.
Remember bridging techniques will help you stay on track bringing you back to your key points.
Where you are being interviewed is also important. Many nowadays are conducted online so you could be either phoning or taking part in a video conference. With both radio and television, you need to ensure that your connection is solid and isn’t likely to cut out without warning.
If you are being invited to a studio, it helps to have some experience or knowledge of what will happen. TV studios, as well as radio, can be pretty chaotic places, especially if there’s a big story breaking. It can be difficult to maintain concentration and composure. Media training in this area can help prepare you for conducting interviews under more challenging circumstances.