6 Steps to Free Publicity

Chapter 14

Cooperating With Reporters

Interview shows such as 60 Minutes and 20/20 that seem to show reporters at work actually present a very misleading picture of the job of the journalist. Unless you’re a celebrity, public official, corporate spokesperson, or criminal, the reporter will not usually function as your adversary, trying to coax or trick you to reveal information you’d be better off concealing. Instead, the reporter ordinarily tries to get out of you the story or expertise that is yours to share, in a form that makes sense to the audience.

Other erroneous expectations may come from horror stories you’ve heard from others who claim to have been grievously misquoted. But rather than approaching the prospect of being interviewed ...