Often, broadcasters are just looking for a nice punchy pre-recorded sound-bite or two rather than a full interview—maybe the fifteen or twenty seconds that is the pithy quote that really sums up your argument. This can become a building block for a short news report or a long-form current affairs show or documentary. Bear in mind that when a reporter is interviewing you for a sound-bite they may seem to be asking you the same question over and over again. This could be because they want to elicit the best possible answer from you, or it might be something technical—for example a noise in the background that will affect the sound quality, meaning they will get you to do the response again. Do not let this annoy you or put you off. Keep repeating your key points, but perhaps in a slightly different form, for example giving them a longer version and a shorter version. This gives them plenty of flexibility and increases the chance they will end up with something usable. More proficient and practised interviewees will weave their key messages into several responses. [Taken from the book The M-Factor by Tom Maddocks.]
Tom on X
How do you cope if a broadcast interview becomes more aggressive than you were expecting?
We can now offer on-camera and autocue skills coaching for spokespeople who have to present online video material or webinars.
