Never repeat the accusation

Such an avoidable mistake, yet also such an easy trap to fall into in the cut-and-thrust of a media interview. Never repeat, in your own words, an accusation you’re trying to deny.

In the era of soundbites and ever-shortening attention spans, nuance goes out the window. People instead rely on heuristics, identifying keywords, applying the connotations associated with them, and solidifying judgments in a matter of seconds. Even if the rest of the interview is fine, “corrupt cop” is unfortunately how the story is now framed – even worse if it’s emblazoned across the front page in huge text.

It’s a common error to slip into, even for those with years of media experience. People often instinctively answer allegations in the negative (“I’m not xyz”), especially if it’s something personal. But in doing so, all they do is reinforce the frame set by the interviewer.

This is especially important in the modern media environment as videos are clipped and shared, and quotes are taken out of context. Two words out of a 10-minute interview can end up defining the entire story.

If you’re ever in doubt, just say what you / your organisation does, not what it doesn’t do.