A reporter has confirmed an interview and the spokesperson is not ready. Here is how to prepare for a media interview: settle a few key messages, research the reporter, rehearse hard questions and agree attribution terms before recording starts.
The condition that matters most is that ground rules are set at the outset, not afterwards. This guide covers the preparation that sits inside media relations for tech companies, and it starts once the interview is booked. The pitch and the briefing event are separate jobs.
Setting key messages the spokesperson can actually deliver
A spokesperson who walks in without key messages lets the reporter’s questions set the agenda. PR network PRGN advises selecting some key messages to focus on and communicating them effectively. It also advises identifying in advance the content most relevant to the brand.
- Select before the call. Choose the messages in advance, as PRGN recommends, rather than hoping they surface in conversation. A short list is easier to deliver under questioning than a long one.
- Match content to the brand. Pick the facts and examples that best represent the company. Drop material that does not support a chosen message, however interesting it is internally.
- Stay on message on the record. Rebuttal PR notes that it is wise to stick to key messages and avoid commenting on speculative matters. In tech, forecasts about unreleased products are the obvious example, so the spokesperson should know where that line sits before the interview starts.
Messages work best when the approved supporting material is gathered in one place. A press kit is a natural home for it, and how to create a press kit for a tech company explains how to build one.
Researching the beat reporter
A beat reporter covers a defined area, so earlier coverage shows which angles the interview is likely to take. PRGN suggests reading articles the journalist has written recently, or watching some episodes if the journalist works in television.
Two checks give the most return:
- Prior coverage of the company. PRGN advises checking whether the reporter has spoken about the company earlier, and how. If the earlier piece was critical, the spokesperson needs a prepared, factual answer to the point it raised.
- Coverage of competitors. The same guidance covers competitors. A reporter who has written about a rival may ask for a comparison, so the spokesperson should know which comparisons the company is willing to make.
Turn the findings into a short list of likely questions. That list becomes the material for rehearsal.
Preparing the spokesperson
Who does the preparing
PRGN says the press office is responsible for getting the spokesperson prepared and for facilitating communication with the media. The spokesperson should also check with the press office what content can be shared, so nothing unapproved reaches the reporter in the heat of conversation.
Rehearse the delivery, not only the content
PRGN points to structured media training as a way to improve performance in interviews. A practical version for a small team is a mock interview in a meeting room. A colleague plays the reporter and asks the likely questions from the research list, including the uncomfortable ones. The spokesperson answers aloud, then the pair review whether each answer reached a key message.
Delivery counts as well as wording. According to PRGN, even the tone of voice, the look and the facial expressions influence how a message is perceived. A spokesperson who knows the facts but sounds hesitant on the key points has not finished preparing.
Ground rules: on the record, on background and off the record
Every conversation with a reporter is on the record unless a source specifies at the outset that it is not. The spokesperson should therefore treat the whole interview as publishable and change that only through an explicit agreement made before the conversation starts. The table sets out the common terms and what each means for planning.
| Term | What it means | Planning use |
|---|---|---|
| On the record | The default status of every reporter conversation unless the source says otherwise at the outset. | Assume all comments can be reported and stick to key messages. |
| On background | The reporter can use the information but cannot attribute it to the speaker by name. It is a condition negotiated with each source. | Suits context for a background briefing; confirm the exact wording of the condition first. |
| Not for attribution | The reporter can quote what was said but cannot identify the speaker. | Agree how the speaker may be described, if at all, before speaking. |
| Deep background | Material can be published provided the source, and how the material was obtained, are not identified. | Use only when the reporter has explicitly accepted these terms. |
| Off the record | Nothing said can be quoted, used or attributed. It only works if both parties clearly agree to the terms before the conversation begins. | Avoid for anything the company wants reported. |
Definitions here draw on a Substack explainer on background and attribution and on Rebuttal PR’s comparison of the three main terms.
- Agree terms before the conversation, not during it. Rebuttal PR stresses that off the record works only if both sides understand and agree first. A spokesperson who says “that was off the record” after speaking has set no rule at all.
- Do not rely on off the record to make a point. The Substack explainer describes it as a way for the reporter to learn information that can guide reporting, which must then be verified elsewhere. That makes it a poor place for a message the company wants carried.
- Spell out background terms with each reporter. Because on background is negotiated source by source, the spokesperson should say plainly how the material may be described. Do not assume the reporter’s definition matches the company’s.
- Keep timing agreements separate. A restriction on publication date is a different arrangement from attribution. How to offer an embargo to journalists covers that side.
When the spokesperson cannot answer a question
The spokesperson should not evade the question. PRGN advises answering without going into rough terrain rather than dodging. A simple “no comment” may not be accepted by the journalist or may be misinterpreted.
- If the question is speculative: acknowledge it and return to what the company can say, which is the reason key messages were chosen. Rebuttal PR’s advice to avoid speculative matters supports this.
- If the spokesperson needs a moment: pause. PRGN advises not trying to fill the natural silences that arise in an interview, and using them to regain focus.
- If the answer is off limits: say so in plain words and give the closest thing that is cleared for sharing. A stated limit reads better than a bare refusal.
Practise these three responses in rehearsal, because they are hard to improvise for the first time with a recorder running.
Remote and recorded interviews
A video call adds the camera to everything above. PRGN describes media training as aimed at improving performance both in front of a microphone and a camera. For a remote interview, run at least part of the rehearsal on the same kind of call, so the spokesperson is used to looking at the lens and hearing their own delay.
The preparation otherwise stays the same. The ground rules still have to be agreed at the start of the call, since the on-the-record default applies to any conversation with a reporter.
After the interview
The work continues once the call ends, and most of it is light.
- Send only cleared follow-up material. If the reporter asks for data or a document, route it through the press office so it is approved for sharing.
- Write down the terms agreed. Record any background or attribution agreement while it is fresh, so the team and the reporter share the same understanding.
- Check the finished piece against the key messages. Note which messages landed and which questions caught the spokesperson out, then use that in the next rehearsal.
- Raise factual errors courteously. A reporter bound by an accuracy standard has reason to want errors fixed, as the FAQ below explains. Opinions the company dislikes are a different matter and are not errors.
Frequently asked questions
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Do journalists’ ethics codes guarantee how comments are handled? | No. An Associated Press report on the Society of Professional Journalists code describes it as a voluntary guide that is not enforceable. It lists four principles, including “Seek Truth and Report It” and “Minimize Harm”. That is why attribution terms should be agreed explicitly instead of assumed. |
| Does it matter whether the reporter works for a newsroom? | It can. The same AP report cites a Pew study showing that one-third of journalists were freelance or self-employed in 2023. Confirm terms with each reporter individually rather than relying on how a particular outlet usually works. |
| Does a tight deadline or a different format change the reporter’s accuracy duty? | No. The code as quoted by the AP says that speed, technology or medium do not excuse inaccuracy or unfairness. A rushed or remote interview needs the same preparation as a slower one. |
