- Acting as a shield for a manager or other official: If the journalist gets the impression you’re just there to fob them off rather than provide useful information, you’re off to a bad start.
- Shying away from bad news: As soon as you evade a tricky question, the interviewer knows they’re onto something.
- Not doing your homework before speaking with a journalist: You’re the talent; have some answers.
- Not answering the question: The journalist has called you for a reason. If you don’t address their concerns, you’re asking for bad publicity.
- Obfuscating when you don’t know the answer to a question: Just admit you don’t know and tell the journalist you’ll get the answer for them.
- Getting personal when under pressure: Mostly, the journalist is just doing their job – like you. Stay on message.
- Lying. Need we say more.
- Making legal threats: It’s not your job, and indicates something to hide.
- Not returning calls: It’s bad manners, and the story may run to your disadvantage.
- Demanding to see the story before it runs: The media organisation employing the journalist ‘owns’ the story, but you ‘own’ your quotes and the facts you provide. You can ask to check those.