April 1, 2011
Get your quotes right in the media
By Christian Pedersen, Communication
Adviser
Here are five tips when you want to
be quoted correctly in the media
I meet many people who have a natural skepticism when it
comes to media contact. When I'm speaking at seminars on how to impact the
media, some participants often talk about bad experiences with journalists.
It is obviously not possible to guarantee that you will always be quoted correctly but if you follow these five tips,
you will have greater influence on the story that the journalist writes.
1. Give the journalists facts
Do not say too much. Make your interviews as short as
possible.
It is a good idea to prepare a fact sheet about the case
on one or two pages. Giving journalists a written fact sheet prior to the
interview allows you to tell what the story means instead of what it actually
contains.
2. Speak slowly
If you are interviewed on
the phone, then listen as the journalist writes down when you say something interesting.
This is when you need to slow down and make sure the reporter has time
to catch every word. Repeat what you just said.
3. Be careful with your emails
Some journalists allow their interviewees to answer
questions over e-mail. It can help you to maintain full control over your
words. But be sure to get someone to check your
writing for unintentional statements and phrases that can be taken out of
context.
4. Ask the
journalist to repeat what you said
Although journalists are
not obliged to read your quotes back to you, many will do so if you ask. If
you do not find your are quoted correctly, you can not expect that the journalist
will change it. But if some of what you said, is factually quoted in a wrong
way, the journalist will usually modify the text.
You can also offer
to help the journalist with a fact-check on the finished story. If
you do not like the way the reporter has framed the story, the journalist will
probably not change it, but the journalist will normally correct factual
mistakes.
5. Record the interview
I would not generally
recommend recording your dialogues with journalists, because it may create
suspicion of a well-intentioned journalist. But if you know in advance that the
interview may be controversial, a recording of the interview often help you
because the journalist is aware that you
have an independent recording. Tell the journalist that you record the
interview.
Check Added Value Communications concept for media relations.
