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reporting techniques you should know |
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We live in an age of intense competitive
reporting. News organizations vie not only for reporting
the story first, but also for uncovering the most
controversial, vivid, or insightful angles to these
stories. Because of the increased speed of communication
and information dissemination, reporting the story first
in the majority of cases is less of an advantage than
uncovering the unique angle that the other news
organizations overlooked. As a result, good reporters
employ various techniques to encourage you to say more
than you should or to share your message in a more vivid
or controversial form than originally intended. Three of
a reporter’s most common techniques are “off the
record”, interruption, and pause.
“Off the record” is a common technique intended to encourage you to put your scripted message aside and speak your mind, by creating the illusion of confidentiality. Just as with all reporter’s techniques, understanding the reporter’s motives will help you decipher the reporter’s actions. Reporters are paid to report the news. They are not paid to be your confidant. Never tell a reporter anything you would be uncomfortable seeing in print or hearing on the air. The bottom line is there is no “off the record.” Interruption is another technique that reporters utilize to throw you off message or pin you down. The philosophy behind the technique is by stopping you mid-response and focusing on a particular point, the reporter can redirect the interview toward a more controversial topic. Not all interruptions are intended to be aggressive, often interruptions are simply to clarify or expand on something you have already said. It is important to be mindful of interruptions and their implications. In either event, a good response is to say, “I’ll be happy to address that in a moment, but first let me complete my last thought.” The pause is an old ploy of
investigative reporters, but one that still works. You
answer the reporter’s question. The reporter keeps an
expectant look on the face, but says nothing. Silence is
often uncomfortable, so you continue talking. The
reporter keeps looking expectant and remains silent
while you dig yourself into a hole. You have two
options. First, when you have concluded your answer, sit
and wait for the next question. You have no obligation
to fill the silence. Second, talk about one of your
other planned messages. |
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