In most cases, you’ll probably find media interviews to be a pleasant experience. The average business doesn’t find itself plagued with controversy, so the chances of you being blindsided by a reporter probably aren’t all that great.
However, there may come a time when a reporter does hit you with a tough question. Your ability to handle a tough line of questioning will play a huge role in determining the direction and outcome of the interview. If you panic and drop the ball, your image could take a serious hit.
So, how should you react when a reporter asks a hard question?
- Prepare yourself — First things first, you have to be prepared for your interviews. Rare is the moment where a tough question will come completely out of left field. If you’re in a situation where a reporter might hit you with a question you don’t like, you should probably know about it ahead of time. Be prepared for any and every type of question the reporter might ask you, and study the reporter’s work prior to the interview to determine if they have a history of asking hard questions.
- Attack questions that lack validity — If the reporter asks a tough question that is irrelevant, inaccurate, or just too personal/inappropriate, it’s well within your rights to attack the quality of the question. Don’t let yourself be bullied.
- Refer the reporter to someone else — If the question is about something that isn’t in your area of responsibility or it’s about something you just don’t know about, you can deflect it by referring the reporter to the person who would be able to answer it or by promising to get back to them on it.
- If you’ve already answered it, don’t answer it again — Should you find yourself in a crisis, reporters will tend to ask the same types of hard questions over and over again. If you’ve already covered the topic extensively, there’s no need to go over it time and time again. Simply let the reporter know that you’ve already answered the question and that you’re not going to keep going over old ground.
- Don’t get emotional — Have you ever seen an NFL coach snap at a reporter for asking a tough question after a loss? Yeah, you don’t want to be like that guy. If your emotions get the best of you, you’ll say something that you regret and that makes you look like a fool. Furthermore, you’ll just attract more attention to that tough question, causing reporters to dig even deeper.
Have you ever been asked tough questions in a media interview? How did you handle it?
This article is written by Mickie Kennedy, founder of eReleases (https://www.ereleases.com), the online leader in affordable press release distribution. Download your free copy of the Beginner’s Guide to Writing Powerful Press Releases here: https://www.ereleases.com/free-offer/beginners-guide-writing-powerful-press-releases/