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Media spokespeople short on training
The average corporate media spokesperson has only had four hours training, and received that training more than 10 years ago. This is according to Barbara Gibson, president of a spokesperson assessment and development consultancy based in the UK, who spoke at a conference in Gauteng last week organised by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC). Gibson added that her research showed that 96% of PR people say they have worked with incompetent spokespeople.
She said that 91% of such spokespeople get coaching and debriefings only "sometimes" or "never".
Gibson noted that the corporate media spokesperson "carries the company's reputation in their hands." When the spokesperson comes face to face with the media, there is much that can go wrong, including misquoting executives or the inability to deliver the company's message effectively.
Success depends on spokesperson
She said that the spokesperson may be put through extensive media training, media interviews with top journalists secured, and the spokesperson prepared to an optimum level of competence, "but the success of every media interaction depends on the spokesperson".
Referring to interview tactics, Gibson reminded her audience that "interview" does not mean answering questions passively, and that the spokesperson should take responsibility for the success of the interview - both for herself or himself and for the journalist.
Gibson, referring to what she termed "the laws of the jungle", drew attention to the journalist's needs, which interviewees must bear in mind when giving interviews. Interviewers have to:
- Please their editors
- Grab the attention of their readers/viewers/listeners
- Present an interesting angle
- Provide something new or newsworthy
- Create credibility
Tips
Offering a coaching tip on how to survive the interview or "the media jungle", Gibson said: "Start by establishing your own rapport with your spokesperson. Help them to appear open and honest."
She warned against using such phrases as "To tell you the truth," or "I can say quite honestly."
She also suggested videotaping an interview in order to give feedback on body language, and to eliminate "verbal crutches".
