When the Headline Is You: An Insider's Guide to Handling the Media

Introduction

Answering questions from reporters is risky business. Though a media interview may feel like a straightforward conversation, it actually represents a contrived and manipulative dynamic. Knowing how to talk to reporters is like learning a new language, a language that bears little if any resemblance to everyday conversation. It is a mistake for anyone to believe otherwise. It may seem as if speaking the truth should be enough to build credibility and trust, but that's rarely the case. Exposing oneself to media scrutiny requires more than simple candor. It requires knowledge, training, and a keen understanding of how reporters write the news.

In my nearly forty years of experience, I have yet to meet anyone for whom media skills come ...