The Media Interview

In a post called The Golden Rule Applies to Media Interviews, on the Schwartz Communications blog, John Moran relates how some clients were brainstorming about which media outlets they’d like to get coverage from, yet they referred to the outlets as “rags”. Moran says that kind of attitude is a mistake, but I think he misses the point of why it’s a mistake, because he goes on to say simply that you need to think about what the media needs - a good story (which is certainly true).

What is important about his “rag” example, I think, is that having general prejudices or preconceptions about the media or a particular media outlet can make you less effective when you’re talking to them. Perhaps there’ll be an edge in your voice as you pitch your story or answer a reporter’s questions, or you’ll read something into their questions that isn’t there - all because, in the back of your mind, you’re thinking “this paper’s a rag” or “they’re a bunch of hacks”.

Negative attitudes are never productive or useful. Ditch them now.