8 questions to ask a journalist before giving an interview
Before you agree to do a media interview, ‘interview the interviewer’ and ask the journalist your own set of questions. This will not only help give you more clarity around the piece itself but also help you determine whether or not it is something that you want to be involved in.
The more information you can find out ahead of time the better!
What questions should you ask a journalist before doing a media interview?
Who is the piece for (e.g TV programme, radio station, magazine etc) and who are their audience?
Knowing your audience (age, gender, and other demographic data) is key to ensuring a successful interview. Develop your responses and key messages accordingly.
What will the story be about?
While it may seem obvious, double-check with the journalist what the interview will be about and what areas will they be asking you to provide commentary on. Can they provide you with the questions ahead of time?
What is their angle?
It might not be what you think! Remember stories often to have to be attention-grabbing, so the angle may be looking at the topic from a different point of view.
Will anyone else be interviewed and if so, who? Will you be debating the issue with them?
This is such a crucial question to ask and one that is often forgotten. To prevent yourself from being put in a compromising situation where your comments may be pitched against your peers, it always pays to ask who else will be interviewed. It may also help you to gauge whether or not the piece is still something you would like to be involved in.
Who will be conducting the interview?
Will the interviewer have a background in nutrition? Are they likely to have a humorous/relaxed or more serious style? Are they likely to ask ‘tough’ questions. the more you can find out about the interviewer and their style ahead of time, the better placed you will be.
When and where will the interview take place?
What is there deadline and when do they need you to get back to them by? Where you can, try and buy yourself as much time as you can to prepare for an interview, rather than being caught off-guard.
If the interview is for TV, will you need to come 'camera-ready' or will make-up and hair touch-ups be done prior to air? What attire is appropriate? Will you be ‘on-location’ or in a studio?
If the interview is for radio, do you need to come into studio? Can it be done via the phone?
Will the interview be live or is it pre-recorded?
In my experience there can be pros and cons for both of these. If something is ‘live’ then you don’t have the opportunity for things to be edited or redone if they don’t go so well. You really do have to throw caution to the wind and dive head in. The upside is that what you said is unedited and 100% you - which I personally prefer. Pre-recorded segments on the other hand do give you the opportunity to redo things if you make a mistake or if something isn’t quite right. However, be aware that sections may be edited/altered based on the correct lighting or background noise, rather than whether or not you got your messages 100% correct.
Will you have the ability to review the piece and any quotes for accuracy prior to going to air/print?
Misquotes and having your words taken out of context can and more likely will happen. To help minimise the risk of this happening, always ask the journalist if you will have the opportunity to review your input prior to the story being published or aired. While many quick-turnaround, reactive ‘news’ stories don’t often have time to allow you to review your quotes or comments ahead of time, some pieces with longer lead times, may.
Once you have asked the journalist all your questions, it is then up to you to decide whether or not this media interview is something that you would like to be a part of.
Good luck!