Engaging with media

The opportunity

You have a unique story to tell and journalists will be looking for unique perspectives. By communicating effectively, you can capture your audience’s attention and cut through the noise. Having a clear message and a call to action means you can stand out and offer something new.

Interview types

Print media

• News agencies, newspapers, trade media.
• Questions may be answered through an in-person interview, but can also be over email, phone call or video interview.
• The interview may be published in full or a quote included in a wider article.
• The journalist may ask to record the interview.

Broadcast media

• Radio or television.
• Usually only lasts a few minutes.
• Can be live or pre-recorded.
• May be conducted with an in-person interviewer or through an earpiece.
• TV broadcast journalists like to conduct interviews in person.
• Media outlet may request an interesting setting to film additional footage.

Sharing your story

What are journalists looking for?

• Quantify it: Relevant statistics can be powerful.
• Personality: Tell us a real-life story or anecdote. How has sewage pollution affected you?
• Human emotion: How does sewage pollution make you feel? Solutions as well as impacts.
• Use as little ‘jargon’ or complicated language as possible.

Answering difficult questions: the bridging technique

The bridging technique is a way of tackling difficult questions that allows you to acknowledge what your interviewer is asking whilst moving into more familiar territory and communicating your key message along the way. Remember to never say ‘no comment’ and always call out anything you know to be untrue.

Bridging technique example:

Question: Aren’t water companies already doing enough to stop sewage pollution?

Answer: I’m aware some have that view (acknowledge) but if you look at the facts outlined in the Water Quality Report (bridge) they highlight a severe lack of monitoring in Scotland (communicate) How do we know water companies are doing enough when we can’t even quantify the scale of the problem?

Example questions:

• Why are you campaigning to protect your local river/beach?
• What is happening in your community/area when it comes to sewage pollution?
• What role can the public play to voice their concern on these issues?
• What change are you fighting for? (Your call to action)
• Why is it important to you to stop sewage pollution?
• Have you become ill from bathing? Tell us about your experience.

Tips for media interviews

• Stay calm and polite.
• Speak slowly – you might be tempted to go too fast, so slow it down and take lots of pauses.
• Use single, clear sentences to make your point.
• Use examples and personal experiences and insights.
• It’s always good to have one or two stats in your back pocket that you can use to back up your points.
• Stop talking when you’ve made your point. Don’t keep going, even if the reporter leaves a gap – it’s their job to fill it!
• Project positive body language – sit up straight and make eye contact with the interviewer (as far as you can on Zoom!)

We asked the Head of Communications at SAS to tell us what five things we should remember when going into an interview:

• Give your own view using your own experiences. You can’t be wrong if you start with “I”.
• Speak with passion and use emphasis in your sentences. People connect with and listen to people who really care about things and who don’t just sound like robots (politicians, we’re looking at you).
• Use simple language (no acronyms!).
• Slow. Down. Most people start speaking more quickly when they’re nervous so speak more slowly than feels normal (which will then be more like your normal speed). Slower talking also gives your brain time to catch up with your mouth.
• Make sure you answer, or at least acknowledge, the question you’ve been asked. But then bridge to your key message.
• It may be nerve-wracking but don’t worry, you’re fighting the bad guys! And no one is going to mind, or notice, if you stumble over a word or say ummmmm. So enjoy it, you’re on TV/the radio (delete as appropriate)!