How to answer a mass media question – in five minutes

A mass media career guide for anyone who is looking to make a name for themselves in the entertainment industry.

By James PappasThis guide includes:How to find and interview top talentHow to negotiate a contractHow to secure sponsorship How to negotiate an interviewHow to get a job as a presenterHow to manage interviewsHow to work with a production companyHow to schedule interviewsHow do you handle media relationsHow to choose a target audienceHow to deal with an interviewerHow to use social mediaHow to organise a social media presenceHow to handle media requestsHow to make the best use of media resourcesWhat to do when you’re on the receiving end of a media barrageWhat to wear to workWhat to say to your bossWhat to keep in mind when you get on the phone with a journalistHow to avoid being called out by a presenterWhat to avoid when interviewing a celebrityWhat to tell an editorWhat to make of a question that is meant to be answeredWhat to know about media interviewsWhat to watch for when you interview a politicianWhat to listen for when interviewing politiciansWhat to take with you when you take a callWhat to read if you’re an athleteWhat to pack for a travel adventureWhat to prepare for when going to a concertWhat to talk to a doctorWhat to think when you have a babyWhat to remember when you find out that a doctor is a politicianHow to ask a question you might not have thought ofWhat to look out for when your boss has a press conferenceWhat to ask an interviewer what they think about your jobHow to arrange an interview with a TV journalistWhat to get in touch with if you’ve got a question about the OlympicsHow to interview a journalist about your careerHow to set up a press briefingHow to take a break when you need a breakHow to do the interview with your friendWhat to consider when hiring an intervieweeHow to prepare a press releaseWhat to put on your resumeHow to answer the question posed to you by your bossHow to write an article about a celebrityHow to speak to your media contactsHow to put a news item on your websiteWhat to eat if you need to work outHow to eat and drink while you’re travellingHow to keep track of your timeWhen your boss asks you to interview themYou should be prepared to answer questions that are not asked by your bossesWhat to be prepared for when asking a reporter for a questionYou should answer a question with the best possible answersYou should try to give your interviewer as much information as possibleYou should avoid using words that are used too oftenYou should think carefully about what you sayWhen you’re asked to answer somethingYou should ask a simple question to avoid making them look badYou should make sure you don’t make your interviewer feel uncomfortableYou should put a little time aside between your interview and your answerYou should give yourself time to reflect on what you’ve been doing and what you can do nextYou should keep track and make notes about the questions askedHow to say no to a question on the recordWhat to write if you have to go on a breakWhat to print and send to the editorHow to talk about a subject in a way that’s not rudeYou should write a story that makes senseHow to listen to what your interviewer has to sayYou should respond to the questions posed by your interviewerYou should use the right word to describe a situationYou should explain the point that you’re trying to makeYou should say something that will get your interviewer to open their mouthYou should start by asking questions that have no relevance to your jobYou should get to know the people in your industry you want to interviewHow do I find and contact a media producer?

What to find out about the media landscapeHow to reach the right peopleHow to network as a freelance journalistWhat can you do when your editor is a journalistWhat you should do if you work for a media companyHow do journalists find their way into your companyHow you should be ready for a career changeHow to apply for a job in the media industryYou should understand the way people get their news and what is expected of youHow to pick the right topics to coverYou should plan aheadHow to meet new peopleHow do people respond to media queriesHow to conduct interviewsHow you can write your own interviewsWhat you can say to a producerHow to tell a storyWhat to show when interviewing peopleHow you need help with an interviewWhat you need in order to interview someoneHow to hire a presenterYou should know the rules about how you should conduct an interviewYour boss should be willing to answer any questions you may haveWhat to cover if you interview someone from outside your companyWhat you want your boss to know when interviewing youWhat to give an interview guestWhat to expect from a guest interviewWhat to send to a reporterWhat to use to describe something when you’ve just seen a journalistYou should talk to people you’ve never metHow to respond to an interviewYou should consider a job offer