The phone rings, you answer. It’s a reporter from the New York Times. She quickly explains that she’s writing a story under deadline and another scientist she spoke to gave her your name. What should you do?
- Hang up in fear.
- Ask what the story is about and the deadline, and then arrange with the reporter a better time to talk, keeping in mind his or her deadline.
- Say “sure,” answer her first question, and then discuss in great detail your most recent published discovery for the next 30 minutes, interrupting the rest of the reporter’s questions.
The preferred answer would be number 2. It’s completely acceptable to ask a reporter for time to prepare for an interview, including asking what the questions will be so that you can prepare your response.
In preparing for an interview, consider your audience and the media outlet. If the interview will be used for a radio or television news piece, remember that your information will be delivered as a sound bite. The longer the description you provide, the better the chances that most of your interview will end up on the cutting room floor. This increases the chance that you will not be included at all in the final story, or that the information you provide could be misconstrued.
It helps to practice your messages before arranging an interview with a member of the news media. Public information officers at your institution can be helpful in defining key messages and finding opportunities for media outreach.
Interested in learning more about media interviews and how you can prepare? Watch Media Interview Basics: A Guide for Scientists and Engineers, a AAAS-produced webcast.
Here are a few more tips for preparing, during, and after media interviews: