Helpful hints for when reporters call
A guide on how to provide information to the media

When a reporter calls, the best practice is to refer them to the Communications Office which serves as the media relations clearinghouse.  If you choose to speak with the reporter, keep the following guidelines in mind:

Effective Communication.

• Take time to gather your thoughts, do some research or seek advice before responding. If you are unsure, the Office of Communications is a valuable resource to help you frame your response.
• Repeat important points you wish to make. Write down what you want to say before speaking with the reporter.
• State your purpose clearly. Organize your ideas carefully, leave out everything else, and avoid jargon, technical terms and acronyms.
• Keep it short and don’t engage in a lengthy conversation.
• There is no such thing as “off the record.” It may look as if you are trying to avoid giving a truthful answer. If there is a reason you can’t comment, let the reporter know.
• Be friendly, but don’t be flippant or joke around. Your off-hand comment might be tomorrow’s headline. State your point in simple, positive words and tone.
• Know your facts. Don’t guess or assume anything. If you are not sure about something tell the reporter you do not know and you will call back when you have verified the information.

Good News and Bad News.

• Always put your best face forward.  Avoid derogatory comments about the institution, even if you have a gripe. Negative comments from within do not help your cause, but do damage the entire institution—your colleagues and students included.
• When responses to the news media require opinion rather than fact, you should take care to emphasize that such statements represent your personal opinion and not the position of the university.
• The official University Spokesperson is the Senior Director of Communications.
• Don’t assume that you are the only one that the reporter is talking to about a story, especially if it is controversial. In an effort to be unbiased, a reporter may seek many points of view.
• If a reporter's questions address a particular event or controversy, take care to ensure that the information provided is accurate and properly understood by the reporter. You may want to ask for some time to consider your response. If you ever find yourself in the middle of a story that sounds controversial, or one you are uncomfortable speaking about, please call the Communications Office at Ext. 4012. The office serves as the official public voice of the institution. 

Don’t Panic!

• Don’t panic! Reporters are simply doing their jobs by reporting the news.  They're calling you because they want your views for their story. They aren't "out to get you."  Hostility from reporters only comes when they feel you aren't being helpful. You can also contact the Communications Office for advice or to serve as a go-between.
• If you wish to speak with a reporter but are too busy to talk, don’t want to be rushed or need some time to get your thoughts together, ask the reporter what the story is about, what is their deadline and arrange to call back at a mutually convenient time.
• If it can be arranged, it is always best to have a face-to-face interview with a reporter rather than a phone conversation. But if a telephone interview is all that can be arranged, it is better to respond than not at all. Failing to respond might give the perception it is a negative situation.