Condo Media - January 2011 - 31

probably includes most, if not all, of them — being interviewed by a newspaper or television reporter can be uncomfortable and more than a little intimidating. A few basic guidelines may help. I call them the essential B’s of media relations: Be prepared. You wouldn’t dive out of an airplane without a parachute — given the option, some probably wouldn’t dive out of an airplane at all. Applying the same risk-avoidance instincts to media relations, you shouldn’t talk to reporters without thinking in advance about what you’re going to say and how you’re going to say it. Your primary objectives in talking to reporters are: • To provide accurate information. • To convey the message on which the board has agreed. • To do no harm. Even if you fall short on one or both of the other objectives, at a minimum, you don’t want to make a bad situation worse by making inaccurate or inappropriate comments. You can’t control what reporters write or how they interpret your comments, but you can and must control what you say. Listen carefully to the reporter’s questions and think before you reply. If you don’t have the information, aren’t certain of some of your facts or haven’t yet formulated a board position, it is perfectly appropriate to say you will have to call the reporter back. Make it clear that you want to cooperate, verify the reporter’s deadline and do whatever is necessary to respond before then. But don’t let a reporter pressure you to comment before you are prepared to do so. The “try-to-say-something” advice notwithstanding, it is better not to say anything than to provide erroneous information you will have to correct or make a statement you will regret. Be responsive. Try to provide the information the reporter is seeking and answer the questions the reporter is

asking, but also make sure you convey the message the board wants to deliver. Although the reporter’s questions will usually drive the interview, you don’t have to be entirely passive; you can answer questions reporters don’t ask. President John F. Kennedy, a master of this technique, would often tell a reporter, “Let me say this about that,” and then go on to talk about something else entirely. You don’t need Kennedyesque press skills to nudge an interview in a different direction. For example, after responding to one question, you might add, “There’s another important issue we haven’t discussed. … ” Be quotable. Two people may make precisely the same point, but the individual who phrases it most colorfully, most dramatically or most memorably, will be quoted while the other, who provided detailed and helpful explanations on which the reporter relied, may not be mentioned at all in the newspaper article or television report. This is unfortunate and maybe even unfair, but unavoidable. Some people are naturally more quotable than others, producing glittering phrases and perfect sound bites seemingly without effort. You may not be able to match their glibness, but you can improve the chances that you will be quoted by anticipating likely questions and formulating clear, concise, interesting answers in advance. Avoid long, rambling, overly technical explanations, and keep your answers focused and to the point. This is especially important in a television interview, when any points must be made in seconds and delivered in sound bites. Be polite and non-confrontational. Don’t take offense if reporters ask challenging questions or press you for more details. That’s what they are supposed to do. Be cooperative — or at least convey the impression that you would like to cooperate. If you must

say “no comment,” say it regretfully and indicate a time, if there is one, when you would be able to respond. Be careful. Never forget that a reporter’s job is to report any useful information you provide and any interesting comments you make. Don’t expect reporters to filter out inappropriate, unwise or even damaging statements you make, and don’t expect them to decipher what you intended to say but didn’t express clearly. Think before you speak, say what you mean, mean what you say and if you don’t want to see words in print or hear them on the evening news — don’t speak them. Be honest. This is probably the most important “B” on the list. Never, ever, lie to reporters or intentionally mislead them. “No comment” is rarely advisable, but it is always better than a lie. Lying about one issue — even an insignificant one — will cast doubt on everything else you say, undermining both your personal credibility and the reputation of the community you represent. When dealing with reporters, honesty isn’t just the best policy; it is the only policy you should follow. CM Nena Groskind is vice president of eContentplus, providing editorial content for websites, print and electronic newsletters and magazines.

CONDO MEDIA • JANUARY 2011

Condo Media - January 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - January 2011