When to Talk to Reporters

Every reporter will ask for a sit-down interview to get your side of the story, but is there ever a time when you should flatly reject the interview with a reporter or producer? Yes, though the window is small. Here are a few parameters I have set that might help you determine whether an interview with the media will be good or bad for your image.

When You Should Say No to an Interview with a Reporter.

1) You are guilty.
2) You or your business will continue engaging in this controversial behavior.
3) You have not learned anything from this situation.
4) Anything you say will make you sound guilty.
5) You can’t find anything positive to say about the situation.

If you answered yes to these five questions, you may be better off defending yourself with a written statement. It’s okay to make a mistake as long as you learn from it. However, if your business will continue with the controversial practice, your defense gets weaker. If you didn’t learn anything from the situation, you will definitely repeat the mistake again, which will result in more people suffering. If you can’t find anything positive to say about your business practice, you won’t be able to spin the story in your favor.

It might sound like an extreme case, but there are times when a business owner will find himself saying yes to all five of those questions. Earlier in this book, I talked about a company that promised consumers access to information that would help them get free government grants. The customers were told for $600 the company would send them information to help them apply for these government grants, and it would guide them along the way. Customers who paid the $600 said the information they received was nothing more than bad copies of outdated phone numbers and inaccurate information. When the customers tried to get their money back, they said the company stalled and wouldn’t return their phone calls.

This company refused to talk on camera for our story, which was a smart strategic move. The company wasn’t going to stop selling this information after our story aired. They were guilty of selling information that was free at the public library, and that was very difficult to spin. Practically anything the company said would have made them look like they were preying on uneducated consumers.

The company’s response came the day the story was scheduled to air, via a written statement. I was literally editing the story when the company’s statement was emailed to me. It was concise and to the point, saying: “(the company) has provided the public with valuable information and services. As a result, our customers have bought their first homes, invested in real estate, improved their communities, created jobs and started and expanded businesses.”

This was a good statement because it focused only on the positive aspects of the business. Who knew if this statement was true, but there was no way to challenge it, especially at this late hour. In addition, the statement allowed the company to give its side of the story without answering any tough questions. The statement also didn’t attack the victims or accuse people of making mistakes with their service.

Whenever you are responding in writing to a television station or newspaper, keep your statement brief, preferably under three sentences. A shorter statement increases your odds of the entire response getting published in the story. Stay positive and don’t try to blame a victim or business in your statement. Instead, accept responsibility by focusing your response on the good services or aspects of your business. A statement is not a platform to throw mud, and here is an example of why that is a fact.

For more information on how to decide whether talking on the record is in your best interest, go to www.BeatthePressBook.com