Arts Entertainments

How to get an interview on radio and television

Radio interviews and talk shows are probably the most coveted medium for getting one’s message across if one is in the speaking business. From a two-minute news story to a half-hour talk show, broadcast interviews are worth their weight in gold. Since radio and television make money from the SALE of time, if you can get that amount of time for FREE, you’re making a lot of money!

But how do you land that interview?

The first step is to identify the stations and programs to follow. Start with the local stations in the community that you will be participating in as a speaker. Do an Internet search using the name of the town or city and the keywords “radio stations.” Once you have a list, go to the websites of each of those stations and find out their formats and any satellite programs they may broadcast.

The easiest place to get that coveted interview is with local talk shows or as a local news outlet. So start there.

Emails and phone calls are a good place to start, but since everyone else is sending and calling the newsroom, you’ll want to stand out. First, find out what local stories are trending and when you write your email or call, reference that story in the subject line of your email and when you first call the station. When possible, refer to the reporter who wrote or produced the article. You’ll want to let them KNOW that you’re aware of the local issues they’re covering at the time and how your message will apply to them – the more “local angle” you can have, the better.

When calling the station, keep in mind that THEY ARE BUSY! It’s best to ask for a specific person, preferably the reporter who covered the local story you’re referring to. Name the local talk show you’d like to appear on… don’t just ask for an interview. The more specific and local you can be, the better. Make their job as easy as you can.

Refer to the local issue, tell them how your message fits with that issue, and how you can give it a unique angle. This may require a bit of creativity on your part. For example, if the problem at the local level is an increase in drug use at school and you are a BUSINESS coach… how can you connect the dots?

The answer is… address the issue identified in the issue as a business issue. How do you advise business professionals about problems they may encounter in their companies? The same technique can be applied if you are a life coach or a marriage counselor. It can also be applied to almost any issue: a plant closure, a conflict with the local city government, local historic preservation, etc. The common denominator in all local issues and with your message is PEOPLE.

Now, you have taken the first steps towards getting that interview. She has sent emails and made contact by phone. Whats Next?

Persistence! But remember… there’s a fine line between being persistent and being a pest. That line with news reporters is if they feel like you’re telling them how to do their job. Do not do that! Instead, a follow-up would include any updates on that local angle that the station may have covered. If the topic is still hot, your NEW angle will be something reporters are looking for. However, if that topic has died down, approaching the reporter with a new topic and how it relates to it may be the route you’ll want to take. This won’t seem like a desperate way to get an interview if you make it seem like you’re relevant to a lot of local issues…which is why they’ll want to interview you.

The key to getting that interview is to make the job of the reporters/producers or news directors as EASIER as possible without telling them HOW to do their job. Identify what it is they want and then give it to them.

Here are some final tips for landing an interview:

Avoid using a cell phone for a phone interview. The quality is poor and you risk losing the signal. If possible, do the interview in person. If you can’t due to scheduling or location, then a landline phone is your next best option.

Be as flexible as possible with time and scheduling. Your first option would be to schedule it to coincide with your speaking engagement, but that may not be possible. Sometimes, especially during peak hours, talk shows just get packed. If there is an hour available AFTER your concert, still take it. It will serve as a reminder of the message you conveyed in your speech and can open up new opportunities for future speaking engagements.

Remember that the station, reporter, producer and news director are the ones in control of HAVING the interview and how it will be conducted. YOU alone are in control of what you say during the interview. Use the opportunity to your best advantage.

And finally, live talk shows are the only time you have control over what the audience will hear. In a recorded interview, the producer, news director or reporter may have to EDIT for reasons of time. And, in some cases, they may misquote you because of the way they edit and write the story. You can’t control this, but you CAN be prepared for it! Just know that it can happen and don’t overreact. You do NOT want to antagonize the media. Instead, as a follow up, whether the interview went well or poorly, send a thank you or follow up with a thank you phone call. Those stations just gave you free airtime, so no matter what, thank them for it!

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