Going off topic, off the bat!
I was just listening to the radio, and the host begins the interview by asking what the author thinks about the issue raised in an interview just before the news break. Time for some quick bridging!!
In this case, at least, there was some connection between the two interviews - one was about parenting and the other was about a possible tax on junk food - and the author did a great job of commenting briefly on the tax, then moving towards the themes in her book. Still, it can be a bit of a shock to be asked about something she had absolutely no preparation for. Since it seemed to be a hot topic with listeners, and there were more media stops that day, she at least had a heads up on it now!
Whether it’s a previous interview or simply a story of the day, hosts will sometimes try to connect everything on their show by one or two themes, so it’s helpful if you’re able to listen to the show before you’re on (or watch in the green room, etc.) or at least have listened to a newscast, read a paper, or browsed a news site earlier in the day. This is short-term interview preparation!
And hosts, please try to make reasonable connections!
Posted: November 30th, 2006 under Asking Questions, Bridging, Media Interview Preparation, Radio Interview Case Studies.