When someone storms off from a media interview it makes for memorable viewing and listening for the public.
It is a bold, unexpected and dramatic move which certainly contains the element of trouble journalists look for in a story.
So it is hardly surprising the storming off becomes a story on its own and generates media coverage way beyond the channel where the interview has taken place.
Viewers of Sky News will have seen Owen Jones storm off from a Press Review section he was appearing on.
The journalist clashed with host Mark Longhurst and fellow Press Review panellist Julia Hartley-Brewer on Sunday (12/6) over the motives of the gunman in the Orlando nightclub shooting on the weekend.
After becoming increasingly exasperated Mr Jones said ‘I’m going home’, took off his microphone and walked off the set.
His actions have since been reported across newspapers and online news sites and for a while he was trending on Twitter.
Mr Jones was discussing a highly emotive subject where he was stressing the importance of the atrocity being classed as a homophobic attack. He has since had considerable public praise for his actions.
But other spokespeople need to think very carefully before adopting a similar approach – a politician or business leader who walks out of an interview because they don’t like a tough line of questioning will not see such favourable coverage. Even celebrities, who are generally more prone to interview walk-outs, suffer negative headlines.
Storming-off or losing your temper should be avoided if you want the audience to remember your messages from the interview rather than your actions.
Instead remain composed and use media training techniques like bridging to take control of the interview and get back to what you want to say.
There are, however, a couple of exceptions where you can walk away from an interview (calmly).
The doorstep interview
This is a tough interview scenario for even the most accomplished and experienced of media operators and it normally happens when your organisation is in the headlines for the wrong reasons.
The key to success is to deliver a short, pithy statement that buys you some time until you are able to give a fuller interview.
Once you have given a brief update on the situation, it is ok to say something like ‘I’ll update when I know more’ and walk away, despite journalists continuing to ask questions.
But it is vital that once you have made the decision to go you don’t turn back and make any additional comments.
The press conference
At the end of a press conference you are likely to face a barrage of questions from the assembled media.
Agree with your communications team in advance how many questions you will answer and make sure one of them is at the press conference to manage proceedings and manage the expectations of the media.
At the agreed point they should announce that there is time for one more question.
Once you have answered it get up and leave the press conference. Make sure you know, before the conference starts, the best (and quickest) way to leave the room. The press conference should be set up so you can leave the way that you came and so that you don’t need to walk past the assembled media.
During multiple interviews
If, for example during a crisis media management situation, you have arranged for multiple one-to-one interviews to be carried out your spokesperson is likely face a tight schedule.
If one of these is over-running they can bring it to an end by saying something like ‘I’m sure you appreciate this is an ongoing issue and it is only fair that I move on and speak to other journalists’.
Again, the key is to be decisive and to manage expectations at the start of the interview. Don’t say the line above and then continue to answer questions.
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