Health and medical research is one of the most widely reported sources of news. At some point in your primary health care research career, you are likely to be invited to take part in a media interview. This will be a vital opportunity to publicise your research specialty area and your latest research findings. All researchers can benefit from preparation; the media is reactive and unpredictable and you never know when your interview opportunity may arise. Whether you are preparing to be interviewed for print, radio or television media, this infoByte will be a useful guide.

The 'should do' of being interviewed

Relaying research outcomes to the public is a moral imperative. It is also increasingly a requirement of grant funding bodies (eg. National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Research Council) that researchers include a 'media summary' for public release in their applications. Researchers often avoid the media because they are apprehensive about being interviewed or concerned they will either say the wrong thing or have their research incorrectly portrayed. You can lessen these concerns by following some of the steps below.

This infoByte outlines the before, during and after of 'being interviewed'. Researchers can be proactive with getting their research out there. Use your media release to bait an interview. Read our fact sheet on Writing a succinct media release in conjunction with this fact sheet because your media release may be the springboard for the interview.

Before the interview

Know why you are being interviewed

An interview opportunity arises when:

• the reporter is running a news story on a particular health issue and they need an expert to comment
• a reporter wants a 'reaction' in response to a news story
• a reporter has seen your media release and is keen to run a story
• you are the official spokesperson for an organisation or institute.

Know your message

• Know what you want to get out of the interview - there may be a particular topical 'peg' or angle that you can 'hang' your story on.
• Prepare a generic 'grab' (9-11 seconds long) comprising three succinct points and aim to make these three points in two sentences - have your grab rehearsed and ready to go.
• If you know about the interview in advance you can tailor your 'grab' in line with the aims of the interview and the reporter’s end story.

Don't fear what they may ask

• Anticipate that the journalist will ask 'what', 'where', 'when', 'why', and 'how'. Practice asking these questions of your work and prepare clear, concise answers.

Timing

• Never feel like you have to participate in an on-the-spot interview. If you need time to collect your thoughts, request time (even just five minutes thinking space can improve preparedness).

Are there any pictures?

• Media stories are more likely to go to be published or go to air when you can provide visuals (a picture for print media or footage for television).

Know when to say 'no'

• You can turn down an interview or prevent it going to press/public, but only do so if you think your work may be misrepresented or the interview could compromise your credibility in any way.

During the interview

Have the gift of the 'grab'

• During the interview, stick to your pre-prepared 'grab'.
• The grab is under your control. Sticking to your grab keeps you in safe territory.
• Do not feel tempted to fill silence. Only deviate if you feel absolutely comfortable doing so. Working outside of your practiced grab opens you to the risk of saying something off the cuff that could be misinterpreted.

Respond to a question with the question

• Media interviews are often edited into extracts (grabs) and broadcast with other edited news stories during news bulletins.
• To make your grab easy to slot into any news story (and ensure you get your air time!) respond to the question with the question as part of the response (eg. Question: Why are you studying the role of general practice nurses in Australian health care? Response: I'm studying the role of general practice nurses in Australian health care because...)
• Without the context of the question, your statement can not be used as a grab.

Keep it safe

• Know the controversial 'dangerous' areas that arise in your research and create a standard response to 'tricky' questions or a response that avoids this altogether (eg. 'that's beyond the scope of my study', 'the point you make is interesting, but my area of expertise is...').

Be the expert

• You are the expert so speak like an expert.
• Articulate your statements in a way that shows you know what you are talking about.
• Do not make it sound like you are asking for affirmation.