142
• develop an ongoing professional relationship. One strategy to achieve this is to have regular informal meetings with media where new information on tobacco control
can be shared. Regular meetings also provide opportunities to tap media expertise on communications strategies. In Brazil, for example, regular breakfast meetings
between tobacco control programme staff and media professionals helped to lay the foundation for an effective channel to relay tobacco control updates and mes-
sages to the public.
4. Have a designated spokesperson . Make it convenient for the media to contact
your organization by having a spokesperson. Usually, but not always, the spokesper- son is the national focal point. he spokesperson should possess the following:
• the capability of representing the message, campaign and programme; • credibility: he or she should be acceptable to the target audiences, and capable of
commanding respect and projecting sincerity and authority when communicating;
Box2. TipsforTVinterviews
Thespokespersonshouldbecomfortablewhendoinginterviews,especiallyontelevision.Some helpfulhintsincludethefollowing:
•Askareporteraheadoftimewhatmaterialwillbecoveredinatelevisedinterview,and
informhimorherastowhatareasyouwillorwillnotprovidecommentson.Ifareporter refusestoprovidethisinformation,youcanalwaysdeclinetheinterview.
•Dressappropriately.Whendressingfortelevision,colourisfine,buttoneitdown.Vertical lines,subduedcoloursandsimplejewellerylendauthorityandseriousnesstoyourremarks.
Wearclothingthatfitscomfortably.Womenshouldbewaryofshortskirts.Menshouldavoid shortsocks.
•Situpstraight.Ifyouwearasuitcoatorjacket,sitonthetailtopreventitfrom“ridingup”on yourneck.
•WatchyourbodylanguageonTV.Televisionreportersroutinelyshaketheirheadduringan interview,asifnoddinginagreementwiththespeaker.Thiscanbehypnoticifyouarebeing
interviewed,andyoumaystartnoddingyourhead.Youmaybesaying“no,”butyourhead maybesaying“yes.”
•Keepyourselffocusedontheinterview.Avoidgettingtoo“cosy”withtheintervieweror thesetting.SomeofthemostembarrassingmistakesinTVinterviewsoccurnotbecauseof
toughquestions,butbecausethespeakerloseshisorherfocusandbeginstobabble.Stay“on themessage.”
•Beontime.Unlikeaninterviewwithaprintreporter,youcan’tcallbacklaterwhenitcomes toaninterviewwiththeelectronicmedia.
•Ifpossible,speakwiththeinterviewerbeforegoingoncameratomakesurethatyouboth havetheexpectationsofthematerialtobediscussed.Itmayhelpifyoucanprovidethe
interviewerwithabriefparagraphoutliningthesubjectinquestionandyourviewpointsaboutit. •Ifpossible,findoutaboutotherparticipation,intheeventofpaneldiscussionsand
groupinterviews.Checkwhetherthetobaccoindustryisrepresented.
Source:http:www.buffalo.edunewsfast-execute.cgiwwns-media.html
143
• ability to be articulate; • knowledge of the programme;
• ability to use sound judgment when releasing information, and capability of think- ing quickly during unexpected media encounters;
• preferably, experience in working with media
Box3.
Tipsforradiointerviews
UnlikeTVinterviews,radiointerviewsdonotpermitvisualfeedbacktotheaudience.Hence,your speakingvoicewillbecritical.Herearesometipsforaneffectiveradiointerview:
•Studytheinterviewstyleandpersonalityoftheradiohost.Listentopreviouslyrecorded
interviewstogeta“feel”forhisorherstyleofinterviewing,andthetypesofquestionsthatheor sheislikelytoask.
•Comeprepared.Thebenefitofaradiointerviewoveratelevisedinterviewisthatitallowsyou tousereferences,suchascuecards.Writedownyourkeytalkingpoints,andessentialstatistics,
andkeeptheseinfrontofyouwhendoingtheinterview.Usethesetostayfocusedduringthe interview.
•Avoidprolongedsilences.Radiohostswillnotallow“deadair”orperiodsofprolonged silences.Bypreparingfortheinterview,youcanavoid“deadair.”
•Speakclearly.Sitwithyourmouthabout2–3inchesfromthemicrophone,andspeakdirectly intoit.Becarefulnottocreateunpleasantsounds,byspeakingcarefulandenunciatingeach
word.Avoidaccentuatingyour”Ps”andwhistlingonyour“Ss.” •Usetimeeffectively.Someradiointerviewscanbeconductedoverthephone,savingyou
timeandtheneedtotraveltoaradiostation.Determinebeforehandifthisarrangementis appropriateforyou.
Box4. Tipsforprintinterviews
•Preparefortheinterview.Findoutwhyyouwereselectedfortheinterview,andwhowillbe doingtheinterviewing.Readuponanybackgroundinformationorrelatednewsstoriesthat
mayhavepromptedtherequestforaninterview.Haveprintedmaterialreadyforthereporterto verifyfactsandfigures.
•Controltheenvironment.Iftheinterviewistobeconductedatyourofficeridyourtableof clutterandensurethatonlytherelevantdocumentsareonyourdesk.Keepsensitivematerial
outofsight.Havesomeoneelsetakeyourphonecalls,andensurethatyouarenotdisturbed duringtheinterview.
•Respondtoquestionswithdirect,simpleanswers.Uselayman’sterms,andkeepyour answersbrief.
•Knowyourmessage.Decidebeforehandwhatkeypointsyouwishtoemphasizeduringthe interview,andcomebacktothesecoremessagesthroughouttheconversation.
•Behonest.Ifyouareunabletoanswerthequestion,sayso.Avoidphraseslike“nocomment.” •Beprudent.“Offtherecord”commentsandpersonalorjudgementalopinionsshouldbe
avoided.Donotsayanythingtotheinterviewerthatyouwouldnotliketoseeinprint.