Rules of Engagement with the Media Know the journalist Before conducting a scheduled interview with a reporter, it’s a good idea to know who you’re speaking with and where they stand on the issues. You should do a quick news search on the name of the reporter before agreeing to sit down with him or her. On/off the record If you receive a call from the press, be sure to set guidelines at the start of the call. Before beginning any conversation with a reporter - whether it’s in an email, on the phone, or in person - you must specify whether you are speaking on the record, off the record or on background. Reporters want your interview to be on the record, and will presume that it is unless you specify otherwise.
On the record: Conducting an interview on the record means that the journalist can use 100 percent of the things you say, and attribute them to you in the story. On background: This means that while a reporter’s story can rely on information you provided, the reporter may not attribute anything to your name. The reporter may want to reference you indirectly, (for example, he or she may want to refer to you as “an executive at a local real estate development firm,” or something similar), which is something that you can clarify at the start of your interview. Off the record: This means that any information you provide to a reporter cannot be quoted or attributed to you in any way. The reporter should not be recording anything if you are conducting an interview off the record. Again, it is extremely important to state your desire to remain off-record at the very beginning of your interview.
Answering questions Make sure you stay on-message and rely on your talking points. Your interview should focus on your firm and the positive impact it’s having in your area. If a journalist begins to ask questions that are outside the realm of what you’re comfortable discussing, it’s important to rein in the conversation by reminding them that you’re there to talk about the specific issue at hand and how it will impact your business.
