by Ed Barks

How do reporters decide what questions to ask? The methods vary. Some pore over data scrupulously. Others go to trusted sources first, then come to you looking for missing puzzle pieces. Others, in the course of a reporter's hectic life, scribble a few ideas on a note pad and engage you in hurried conversation.

For your purposes as one who deals with the media, there is a more important question: What methods do they use in an attempt to elicit information you may not want to cough up? Here, too, there is a wide variety of tactics to which the scribe tribe can turn.

Attend any journalistic conference or listen in when reporters are talking and you will hear plenty of chatter about interviewing techniques. Below are some tricks of the reporter's trade you need to know about:

• Planting negative words in your mouth: In most print and electronic formats, readers or viewers never see the reporter's questions; only your answers. For instance, he may ask, "why were last year's results so horrible?" If you respond, "I wouldn't exactly call them horrible," you have just assumed ownership of that negative word. Bottom line: Don't repeat loaded or negative language. Keep your message positive and respond in your own words.
• Rapid fire questions: In an attempt to toss you off balance, some journalists will ask you a series of questions, often unrelated, in the same breath. They may be digging for information, probing for weak spots, or trying to distract you from your commitment to deliver your message. Bottom line: When hit with three or four questions in quick succession, answer the one that allows you to bridge to your message most seamlessly.
• Interruption: Sometimes this is a conscious tactic; sometimes it just means the reporter is pressed for time or is impatient by nature. If the interruptions persist, try to gain a sense of why. If he is pressed for time, for example, that's your cue to keep your answers very brief and to-the-point. Bottom line: Wait for the interruption to subside and remain of good cheer. Then finish your answer. If you need to go back and recap a point from your previous response, you have that right.
• Hostile: Some news sources view all reporters as ogres. Having been on the reporter's side of the microphone, I know that's not true. Yes, there are mean and cranky reporters, but they are a distinct minority. (note: Don't confuse hard-hitting questions with hostility; it is part of a reporter's job to ask you the tough questions.) Still, be prepared on the off chance you should encounter a true antagonist. Bottom line: When things turn nasty, you must remain calm and polite. This is a business deal, not a personal transaction. In an extreme situation where blatant hostility persists and the reporter appears unhinged, you have the right to terminate the interview as gracefully as possible.
• Friendly: The reporter is not your best buddy. But some will use this technique in an effort to lower your guard. Be particularly alert for this approach during any small talk as your interview begins and ends. Remember, you are always on the record (unless you have specifically agreed otherwise) when in the presence of a reporter, no matter how informal things may seem. Bottom line: Keep your guard up. Your aim is to cultivate reporters as business contacts, not to make friends.
• Paraphrase: This tactic is a cousin to planting negative words in your mouth outlined above. When you hear a question that begins, "so what you're saying is," be prepared to sum up in your own words; don't buy into the reporter's characterization. Bottom line: Always state things in your own terms. Don't agree to a reporter's translation.
• What if: Some reporters love hypothetical questions. You should avoid hypothetical answers. Bottom line: Stick with what you know and keep the "what ifs" out of the equation. It is not your job to gaze into a crystal ball.
• Fishing expedition: Rumors are a dime a dozen in most industries. And reporters love juicy gossip. Bottom line: Stick to the facts and let other less savvy sources get trapped into confirming rumors.
• Silence: This was my favorite technique during my days as a reporter. It works nearly every time, particularly when the interview subject is a bit nervous or thrown off balance. Bottom line: When you finish your reply and a pause hangs in the air, let the reporter fill it.

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