SPOKESPERSON HANDBOOK

By Funmibi Ogunlesi, Kevin Smith, Matthew Butcher & Rosie Baines from NEON

This guide covers the essentials you need to do a great broadcast media interview, including how to prepare effectively, what you need to think about during the interview and how to look after yourself afterwards.

Contents

• CONTENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• WHAT IS THE SPOKESPERSON NETWORK?
• WHAT IS A SPOKESPERSON?
• WHY DO BROADCAST MEDIA?
• PITCHING FOR AN INTERVIEW
• FINDING A STORY TO SPEAK ON
• FORWARD PLANNING
• WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF BROADCAST MEDIA?
• HOW LONG IS AN INTERVIEW?
• MAKING YOUR PITCH
• EXAMPLE OF AN EMAIL PITCH
• WHAT IS A TOP LINE?
• WHAT MAKES TOP LINES EFFECTIVE?
• WHEN TO PITCH
• WHO SHOULD YOU PITCH TO?
• PITCHING A STORY RATHER THAN REACTING TO THE NEWS
• PREPARING FOR AN INTERVIEW
• THE ‘BACK OF THE ENVELOPE’ TECHNIQUE
• PHRASE THAT PAYS
• STATISTICS AND NUMBERS
• STORIES
• ABC
• BEFORE YOU GO ON AIR
• PHYSICAL PREPARATION BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
• DOING AN INTERVIEW
• INTERVIEW CATEGORIES
• NEUTRAL
• HOSTILE
• SUPPORTIVE
• AFTER AN INTERVIEW
• CLIPPINGS
• WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU THINK THINGS HAVE GONE BADLY
• PHYSICAL PREPARATION AFTER THE INTERVIEW
• PROGRESSIVE VOICES IN THE MEDIA
• AND FINALLY…