I hope this email finds you well. I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss media interviews. Of course you’re excited when you receive an inquiry, but before you commit make sure you understand what exactly it is you’re getting yourself into. Remember, not every interview is created equally, so here’s 5 questions you may want to consider asking.
1. Can you tell me more about your publication/station/blog? Make sure you not only understand the culture of the media outlet they represent, but confirm who will actually be interviewing you. Often times in radio or TV an off-air producer will do the scheduling, while the on-air talent is who you need to be prepared for.
2. What’s your angle on this story? Depending on their angle of the story and how they intend on using you as an expert, you can determine if it’s a good fit for you. For example, if you represent an educational institution and they’re discussing astronomical tuition fees, maybe it’s not something you’d like to be associated with.
3. Who else are you interviewing? It’s important to know who you’ll be compared or associated with for your interview. If an opposing voice is going to shed a negative sentiment upon you, it may not be worth the opportunity.
4. What’s the format? For broadcast you’ll want to know if the interview is live, live-to-tape or edited, and if the location is remote, on-site or just using sound bites. Print will give you an idea if they’re looking for a few quick quotes or a more in depth look into you or your business.
5. What else can I provide? If you can supply a video, photo, infographic, press release, etc. you may be able to control more of the narrative.