285: The 3 Questions You MUST Ask Before Speaking to Any Reporter

Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the PR Breakdown, where we dive into the strategies behind managing media, public relations, and crisis communication. As you know, I'm your host, Molly McPherson, and today we're going to tackle an important topic that comes up all the time in my world. Should you always talk to a reporter when they reach out to you?

Now, that is not a question that is asked of me. It is a topic that comes up in my work. And it's happening more and more frequently. For a long time, I thought the answer was yes, but times have changed. And today I'm going to share the three critical questions you should ask yourself before picking up that phone to return the call.

As you know, I'm a crisis communication strategist, so I get calls from reporters all the time. Not because I'm a crisis communication strategist, it's because I'm a crisis communication strategist who happens to moonlight on TikTok. Talking about the stories that we see trending, reporters are looking for sources for these stories.

I am a get because I have a following on TikTok. A lot of reporters know this about me. If I do a story, whether it's print or television, syndicated television, there's a good chance that I'm going to talk about it on social media. So they get that extra bump. Plus they know I'm accessible and they also know.

That I can give them what they need. I'm a reporter as well. I write for Forbes. com, so I understand the fight to get the great source. You want someone who's going to add some color to your story. You want someone who can add authority to your story. There's nothing that makes a story better than an outside source that's a credible source.

Now, if that source happens to be someone who has a social media following, even better. Your story is going to get more attention. Clicks. The more juice behind a story means clicks, eyeballs, money. You get it. That's the cycle that we're in right now. But what's interesting is I have to buck the trend from what I've been doing for years.

And that is encouraging. Every single client I had or when I worked for an association or an organization to get press. That was my job to get press. You have to pitch stories and I would never hesitate to respond to a reporter who reached out to me. My goodness, I'd stop what I was doing. And I've been encouraging my clients to do the same thing for years because after all, any press is good press, right? 

Well, not necessarily. Over time, I've grown much more cautious when it comes to media interviews. My risk strategist instincts have now taken over. And now I always advise my clients to pause and really think about whether doing an interview is the right move. Understanding who a lot of my clients are, I think, will help the context of this episode.

Many times, as people who are directly contacted by the press, they are a name of some sort. So they are They're big in some space, if you will. Somewhere in the media. They might be a writer, a producer. They might be on television. They could be, you know, a celebrity. It could be someone who's a content creator.

It could be someone who's a subject matter expert who also happens to be a content creator. It's associations, it's companies, it's CEOs, it's people who are in the spotlight. Those are the people who come to me. So this is a challenge that happens to people with disabilities. A name. And the question is, hey, this reporter reached out to me.

Should I call them back? That's where this idea stems from. But even if you work in comms or you manage press for any person or any organization, the same rules apply. What has changed? Isn't so much the reporter,  it's the news industry as a whole. Now according to Reuters Institute's 2023 digital news report, trust and interest in news are both on the decline.

Why? Economic challenges are forcing newsrooms to prioritize fast, click driven content over deep investigative stories. Experienced journalists are leaving the field, and younger, less seasoned reporters are stepping in. These new reporters have to churn out content quickly, often with fewer resources, and that can impact the quality of the coverage.

And while the scramble for content might seem like an opportunity for you to get your name out there, it's important to ask yourself a few key questions before jumping in. So in this episode, I'm going to tell you the three questions that I would ask my client when they're faced with the same situation.

Now here's a scenario. Check it out. You've received a phone call or the person who handles your website or your media email Tells you so and so wants to do an interview with you Most people are going to jump at that people who are Gen X and above they will jump at that because they are used to Working at a time when the press really didn't call It was the PR person's job to get  the reporter to call you.

That was what the pitch was all about but nowadays Everything has changed. Now, I'm telling people, let's not rush to making that call. So the first question you need to ask yourself when you've been contacted by a reporter or a news outlet is number one. Is this the right opportunity for exposure? Not every media opportunity is worth it.

Sure, it's tempting to believe that any mention of your name or brand is good exposure. But in today's fast paced, click driven media landscape, that's not always true. You have to think about whether this story will actually reflect well on you, or if it might spark backlash online, or at least come with a heavy dose of criticism.

Now, most reporters can be trusted to tell an accurate story. I do not want this podcast to be an anti reporter. Reporter. Take most people who know me in my trainings or when I speak, but really in my trainings because this comes up a lot. I'll get someone in the room or many times it's the majority of the room who will tell me why reporters can't be trusted.

They hate the media. They tell me why they don't like it, why they don't trust it, and the hackles. On the back of my neck I always stick out because I, I just consider myself in that realm. I've worked in news. I've worked as a journalist. Like I said, I work, I work at Forbes. com right now writing. I take it personally.

I'll be honest. I shouldn't, but I'm not objective when it comes to this. I, I take it personally. I have a very subjective feeling about it. However, when I relate it objectively, I remind them One, what is the difference between a news outlet and commentary outlets like cable news? Because usually what they're thinking, it's Fox News versus  MSNBC.

And I know that without them saying that. So I always start with that caveat. But then when you get into reporters and you get into news outlets, I also tell them to go easy on reporters. Most reporters, if they are following the ethics of reporting and the rules of reporting, they can be trusted. That's it.

to tell an accurate story. That's their job. And if they don't do that, then you can call them out for it. I mean, that's the number one thing. If any reporter does a story about you and it's inaccurate, you can go to your media source, your website, your social medias, and you can put them on full blast and say that is not true.

And then provide the evidence, of course, for why it isn't true. But you can do that. You have that right to do that. But that's typically not the problem. The problem is the context. People worry about the context creating an impression.  That the information is false or in an unflattering light. So I tell them, here's the thing.

Reporters are often under pressure from their editors to add drama, to increase those all important clicks. Even if the reporter's intentions are good, and even if they deliver a fair and balanced story, newsroom pressures can shape that final story. So you have to ask yourself, is this outlet known for balanced reporting?

Or are they just chasing clicks? Is the story meant to inform? Um. Or is it designed to generate controversy and traffic? Do some quick homework on the reporter in the outlet. If it feels like the story is more about clicks and buzz than thoughtful reporting, it might be best to pass. Or you could be like me. 

There may be many of you out there who often get calls from the press. I can vet clicks and buzz pretty quick. I, I, I know exactly as soon as I read what they want or what the topic is. I know exactly, I know exactly what the deal is. But I have to determine, do I have the time to do this? Is it worth my time?

Because my time is valuable. You can say the same thing to yourself. Is it worth it to call the reporter back? Because if you're calling a reporter back, you need to be prepared, and you need to research, and that takes time. Remember, time equals money. So that is another reason that you need to decide, you know, is this the right opportunity for the exposure?

Is it worth it? Number two, what's the risk? Is there a potential risk when you agree to an interview? Because you have to consider the potential downsides. Once your words are out there, you can't take them back. So what's the worst case scenario? Could your comments be taken out of context? Could the reporter dig into past controversies or twist your words into something you didn't mean?

Do you have critics and will those critics say something negative about you and something so compelling and clickable that it will make your story look worse simply because they had to add that critic. Let me give you an example. One of my clients recently did an interview with a well known news outlet.

I wish I could share all the details on this, but I can't because of confidentiality.  It was an outlet that if that conversation would have taken place five years earlier, it would be no question that you would return that call. There'd be no question whatsoever. I think back to my career, like this was what you went after.

Like if a reporter called from this outlet, you just stopped, dropped everything that you were doing to roll with that story. They immediately assumed when they got this reach out, That it was going to be a positive profile piece for their brand. I was not asking questions at this point because I wasn't involved.

They called me. Many times like almost all times too late. They called me when the interview was over but what they shared with me was that as the questions went on and on and on and when the Questions were getting very pointed particularly with people close to the subject matter It became clear that the story was taking a more sharp critical turn.

This was going from puff piece profile to potential hit piece. That's when they called me. So after looking into the interactions that they had with the reporter, you know, I asked the questions, you know, what did the reporter say to you? I'm looking for the tripwires, the signals that this isn't necessarily going to be, you know, a positive piece.

I didn't like the fact that when the reporter. Reached out that they didn't ask the reporter basic questions. You know, what's the story about? Who are you speaking to? What's your angle now likely why that happened to them and also many other clients that I've dealt with I'm not gonna blame them or say that their person did anything wrong when reporters reach out They are very much giving the impression that this is going to be a positive thing Especially if you're coming from a big legacy news outlet They don't need to come with a lot of words because just the name and the heft of the outlet It kind of speaks for itself.

And sometimes you forget to ask those really pointed questions. But I started looking into that interactions. I said, tell me exactly what they said in their email. Tell me exactly where they went in this interview. Was it a phone interview? Was it a zoom interview? Oh, they flew to you? to interview you?  Oh.

Do you know anyone else who they talked to?  Now, if that person has critics, that's going to be concerning. So there are all these little tripwires, these signs that the story isn't going to be positive. And it's not just one client. I get this all the time. I have another client going through the exact same thing.

And I'm there to help them. to show them the red flags when these things come up. So that's why I always advise my clients to ask questions up front. I don't care who it is on the other side. And where people trip up the most, honestly, are with these big named media outlets. It's not the little ones. It's the big ones.

Or it's the ones that have the big name from the past. Like I had a client once, and this was a well known crisis. If you're listening to me right now, I, I am certain that you heard of this crisis. The person at the center of it told me that they wanted to do this particular interview. And I I hesitate on it because it was an interview with Time and they said to me, I just remember this magazine being on our coffee table growing up and my father loved this magazine.

And I said to them, this isn't your father's Time magazine. Okay, this is a culture reporter. It doesn't mean that it's going to be a hit piece, but a culture reporter. To me is a euphemism for finding buzz to write a story with buzz that will get clicks doesn't mean that they're not a good reporter doesn't mean that it's not going to be a good story and it doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be an unfair story but what it does mean is that it's going to be written for clicks flat out it will be written for clicks and that's why I always advise my clients to ask questions up front what's the angle who else is being interviewed if the reporter can't give you clear answers.

Then it's a red flag. And sometimes, despite the allure of being in the press, it's just not worth the risk. Number three, can you control the narrative? In PR, controlling your message is everything. When you speak to a reporter, you want to make sure you can guide the conversation in a way that aligns with your goals.

But here's the catch. You won't always be able to control how the story gets told. Reporters might have their own angle. And if you don't match your goals, you could end up with a story that does more harm than good. Don't just ask yourself, can I trust this reporter? Ask, do I trust that the outlet will allow the reporter to present my side fairly?

I've had my own experience where a profile piece took an uncomfortable turn. I talked about it way back in February when I had my last episode before I went on the hiatus. I explained exactly what happened. But the reporter included an anecdote about me that painted me in a negative light. It was an anecdote that I knew was inaccurate.

It was out of context. What's worse, the anecdote was added weeks after I was told the story would be finished. I was told that the story was coming out any day. That deadline passed multiple weeks. And then I get a reach out from the reporter, who through scouring the internet finds this.  Quote anecdote that I had to deal with on TikTok  and it was something that happened to me Like a crisis cycle where I was taken out of context and stitched and duetted and fell into the social media vigilante Cesspool which if you know me, you know, I hate social media in advance what they were reporting On was out of context.

And I told them that. And I also said you're stirring up drama for the story to make it juicy, to have a bigger bite. Like I get that. I get that. I know the task. Okay. I know the assignment,  but what you want to report on isn't accurate. It's not accurate.  And you're not reporting on the truth of the matter.

If you were telling the truth of the story, it would be how I was taken out of context. That would be the truth of the matter. But what they wanted to highlight was, Oh, crisis person who talks about people's crisis gets canceled in a crisis. That was their angle.  And I made it very clear to this reporter, this young reporter, two jobs out of college, which shocked me, by the way, I am shocked by How many young reporters are out there?

And it's no disrespect to them. I applaud it. I have two kids who are going in the same direction. It's not that their writing skill is not there. It is. These are very, very smart people. But with the media  landscape, How it is, where they're not getting paid at a level that reporters at their talent level or what they were writing about were getting paid in the past.

The pay is down and so is the fairness because editors are really pushing them to get clicks. They're pushing them for the buzz. They want buzz. They want clicks.  And in the case with me, you know, I made it clear to the reporter,  if you include this anecdote, if you include any detail of it. I'm not promoting the piece.

This piece is dead to me. That was the only control I had over the narrative. Now, they still ran the story, but the story got buried. It got buried on Christmas Day. And  honestly, I don't mind it at all. I don't. It was a great profile of me. I mean, the reporter, like I said, did a very, very, very good job. But it was so disingenuous, in my opinion, to miss the deadline deadline.

And then come back with that anecdote. It felt so, it felt so plotting to me and so intentional and deliberate and just underhanded.  I thought, I'm not going to participate in this. Like, I, you know, here it is the irony. It's a story about PR machinations and I was being, and here's the irony of it. It was a story about a person who dissects PR machinations.

And I felt the. News outlet was doing the same thing to me.  So, so remember if you can't shape the conversation in a way that benefits your brand or it might harm you, it's often better not to engage at all. I can't tell you how many times I said to myself, why did I even do that interview? Like, why did I do it?

Okay. I wanted  the angle. I wanted the profile. I wanted  the Bonafides so I could use it as something in my bio, but I regret it. If I could go back in time, I would have done the interview and now that I'm removed from it almost a year later, I would never do an interview like that again. Those were the three questions. 

I do want to add a caveat. There is a big difference between being asked for your opinion on someone else's story or agreeing to a profile and handling a crisis that involves you or your company. If the story is about you, especially during a crisis, You don't always have the option to stay silent. In those situations, staying quiet could allow others to control the narrative and hurt your reputation even more.

That's important. We are big believers in the no, no comment. You never want to go without a comment. That's very harmful to you. If there's a story about you, your company and the reporter, the anchor says, we reached out to so and so for comment, but they Failed to get back to us. You never want that to happen.

If it is a story within your control, that won't change your reputation if you're in it or not, or if it's a matter of a profile. If you don't do this profile, will it hurt you and there's no harm? That's when you wanna start thinking about it. So the question is, do I take the risk for the opportunity? 

Will the risk outweigh the benefit or will the benefit outweigh the risk? Here's the bottom line. Talking to the press can be a powerful tool to get your message out there, but it's not without its risks. So before you pick up the phone to return that call or reply to the email, ask yourself, Is this the right opportunity for exposure?

What's the potential risk? Can I control the narrative? Do I really need the press? Two examples that I gave. at the beginning of the episode from my client work. Both of those clients were in situations where I felt they did not need the press.  And I said to both of them,  do you need to do this interview?

This to me is low hanging fruit. I know you're caught up in the names.  Personally, if you called me before this happened, I would have told you not to take the interview. There are too many critics out there. There are too many. things that I think could put you in a bad light that just aren't worth it. Go back to your own media channels and tell your story there.

And then when you have your next push, whatever it is, like with both these clients, there's things that they can push down the road. Do your press when it's promotional. Do your press when you need to get it. You don't need to do it now. In summary, The three questions. One, is this the right opportunity for exposure?

Two, what's the potential risk? And three, can I control the narrative? If the answers don't give you confidence, it's okay to say no. Not every media opportunity is worth the potential fallout. Sometimes protecting your brand is the smartest move you can make. As always, I'm here to help you with your PR strategy.

You can find me here every week on the podcast and certainly on social media and again on Forbes. com. Don't forget to subscribe and leave a review and I'll catch you in the next episode. Bye for now.