RESOURCES
BE A MEDIA STAR
INTERVIEW BEST PRACTICES FOR DENTAL HEALTH EXPERTS Cameron McPherson
The Virginia Dental Association’s marketing team works throughout the year to advocate for its members and the dental profession through a variety of communication channels. One important opportunity we regularly invest time in is media relations. Sometimes called earned media, media relations describe the practice of an organization engaging journalists to inform the public about an issue or story. Media relations builds credibility and helps put a message in front of thousands of readers, listeners, and viewers. Here are some best practices you can keep in mind when engaging the news media. A note before we begin: The VDA team is always here to help you prepare for media interviews. These tips are geared toward positive media stories that promote dentistry and oral health. Need assistance responding to a journalist’s request, or have a story you would like to tell? Please connect with us. When we reach out to you with a media request, we’ll do the legwork for you, and let you know deadlines and interview formats, as well as equip you with key messages.
The state of Virginia’s news media
While layoffs and reorganizations have greatly impacted the news industry in recent years, there are plenty of opportunities to share news in Virginia. There are 21 daily papers across the state reaching more than 1 million people. Thirteen of those newspapers are owned by Lee Enterprises (https://lee.net/) and sometimes the papers share content. From time to time, a story in one market may be republished throughout the state. There also are about 150 weekly and
40
monthly publications in Virginia that report the news, in addition to strong television, radio stations and online news outlets.
Proactive versus Reactive
There are two scenarios when you’ll engage media: proactive and reactive. “Proactive” describes when you, or the VDA team, are actively reaching out to a journalist to share a story. “Reactive” requests happen when a journalist reaches out to you to respond to a story or a trend.
Deadlines
One of the first questions you’ll want to ask a journalist is the deadline. Many times, a daytime TV or radio journalist will have a 3 p.m. deadline to prepare for the afternoon’s broadcast. That, of course, fluctuates if a reporter is a morning or evening reporter. While it can be hard to plan around important patient schedules, it’s always good to organize the interview before the reporter’s deadline. By talking to a reporter earlier, you can help shape their storyline with your remarks. This also gives the reporter an opportunity to contact you later in the day with followup questions.
Key messages
Key messages help you stay on message and speak with authority. Keep messages simple and short. Most TV segments will only include soundbites that are about 12-15 seconds, while quotes in print newspapers are typically 2-3 sentences. Long responses can be hard to incorporate – help get your message in the story by always going back to your key messages. We recommend going into an interview with three main key messages you want to deliver. Practice delivering the messages before your interview.
Formats
For the most part, interviews will be recorded, not live, but always ask the reporter ahead of time. For TV interviews at your office, you’ll want to look at the reporter, not the camera. As the pandemic continues to impact news coverage, journalists tend to be open to Zoom interviews. Make sure you have a professional background and turn off your notifications on your computer to avoid distractions. For phone interviews with radio reporters, find a quiet place in your office to help with clear audio. These tips are just a start, but can help you approach media interviews like a pro. With practice and preparation, you can deliver an effective media interview to promote your business and the importance of oral health. If you have any questions about media interviews, please reach out to Paul Logan (logan@vadental.org) and Elise Rupinski (rupinski@vadental.org) at the VDA. Editor’s Note: Cameron McPherson is an account director at The Hodges Partnership, a strategic communications firm in Virginia.
Watch recent media interviews with VDA members. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=hwsANa7auJY
