A few years ago, I arranged a TV interview on a prime time, regional business channel for a client. The format was live, with the interviewee alone in a studio, looking at an unmanned camera while questions came through an earpiece from anchors in Hong Kong and Singapore.
It was an incredibly nerve-racking experience and quite an unnatural way to be interviewed, but that was the required format.
On another occasion, the TV producer had sent over questions a week in advance. We helped the client practice, completed media training sessions, to ensure the client was fully prepared. However, just thirty seconds before going live on air, the anchor informed the client that all the questions had been changed.
The point is, live TV interviews can be a unique experience and often requires adaptability and quick thinking in the face of unexpected challenges.
With that said, it can be an exhilarating feeling to be interviewed on TV and achieve local, regional and, sometimes, global exposure.
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Media Training
A quick word on media training and TV interviews.
For a successful TV interview, seeking professional media training is highly recommended. This training equips you with essential techniques to convey key messages, handle common questions, and not get drawn into giving answers to sensitive questions.
Without adequate preparation, you risk missing opportunities and making mistakes that could impact your performance or even trigger a crisis.
The following is based on the assumption that you have received media training, and these tips act as a refresher.
Understand The Context
- Research the show's format, style, and audience.
- Check whether it's live or recorded. If it's live, you need to be quick in your response and there's no going back if you make a mistake.
Key Messages and Content Preparation
- Identify Key Messages: Decide on three main points you want to communicate.
- Anticipate Questions: Think about potential questions and prepare concise responses. Concise means 60 seconds maximum.
- Use Anecdotes: Prepare interesting stories or examples that illustrate your points, making your messages more engaging. 'Enough to fill xx Olympic sized swimming pools', or 'Think of this like a car. Before you start a journey, you fasten the seat belt. The same can be said with cybersecurity and buckling up before you...'.
Practice and Rehearsal
- Rehearse Your Responses: Practice your answers by recording yourself to improve your delivery. Focus on clarity, pacing, and body language.
- Time Your Responses: Is what you're saying memorable in under a minute? Is there a soundbite you can deliver in 15 seconds?
Appearance and Presentation
- Dress Appropriately: Avoid white, black, or busy patterns and ensure your clothing is comfortable, and suitable for attaching a microphone. Remember, you are representing your company.
- Be Polished: Check your hair and facial hair.
During the Interview
- Stay Confident: Maintain composure throughout the interview.
- Engage with the Interviewer: Unless otherwise told, look at the interviewer rather than the camera.
- Control the Narrative: Be prepared to pivot to your key messages instead of getting sidetracked.
Additional Tips
- Arrive Early: Get to the studio at least 15 minutes in advance to settle in and prepare. If not in the studio, take some time to become familiar with the setting.
- Be Flexible: You may be asked follow up questions based on your responses.
- Time: Take your time to answer and make sure your responses are concise.
- Sensitive Topics: Be very aware of topics deemed sensitive to your business and know the authorised responses.
No. 1 Tip
Say nothing in a TV interview your boss wouldn't want to hear. This goes for any interview, but especially for TV, where the very nature of the medium means saying the wrong thing can haunt you for hours, days, months, and even years afterwards.
These broad tips for doing a tv interview shows the amount of preparation required for a TV interview and sometimes spokespeople get over-excited at the prospect and forget they are live on air. When this happens, the effort to make the interview happen is almost always wasted.
There's nothing wrong with being nervous. The danger is forgetting everything you've learnt and making a mess of the opportunity. Therefore we recommend professional media training for anyone going on TV.
By following these steps, you can enhance your readiness for a TV interview, ensuring that you present yourself as knowledgeable and engaging.
If you are seeking media training or media relations in Hong Kong or across the Asia Pacific region, contact me at ivan@eightpr.com.
About Eight PR (www.eightpr.com)
Eight Public Relations is a PR agency in Hong Kong, specialising in law firm, technology, and wealth management public relations. Utilising a power PR model and offering fractional PR services, we develop tailored, innovative strategies to enhance client reputations, drive growth opportunities, and establish brands. Our approach includes media relations, executive profiling, compelling content creation, and leveraging a global B2B network.
Eight PR was the only public relations firm to sponsor a showcase booth at ReThink 2023, Hong Kong's best attended and most ambitious business event for sustainable development. We were also a showcase sponsor at Fintech Week Hong Kong in 2021 and 2022.