We thought we had seen it all when it comes to doorstep interviews disasters.
Over the years we’ve seen hands placed over cameras, microphones pushed away, spokespeople completely ignoring the media and even one politician who kept repeating ‘I’m eating a cookie’ in response to every question.
But we’ve now come across a new approach to this interview format which trips up plenty of media spokespeople.
It comes from America where a politician decided that head-butting the camera was the best approach to take to the ambush interview.
It may have been a playful headbutt – more of a head nudge - but it was still weird.
It happened when congressman Don Young was asked a question about foreign interference in government elections.
That question was ignored several times by Mr Young as he walked through a hallway. And, when he stopped to call a lift, he walked towards the camera, slowly headbutted it and said “There you go.”
Watch Republican Congressman @repdonyoung (R-AK) headbutt the camera when we asked him if it’s okay to ask foreign governments to interfere in our elections.
— MoveOn (@MoveOn) October 31, 2019
And no, he never answered the question. pic.twitter.com/FWgmkdzycG
This is certainly not an approach we recommend on our media training and crisis communication training courses.
And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it led to some damaging headlines:
GOP lawmaker head-butts camera while refusing to answer question Washington Examiner
GOP Rep head-butts camera of progressive activist National Review
The Republican Congressman’s headbutt is the party’s whole attitude towards the Ukraine probe Esquire
GOP Lawmaker head-butts camera rather than answer a question about Trump Huff Post
Q: Do you think it's OK for the president of the United States to pressure foreign governments to interfere in our elections?
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) November 1, 2019
Rep. Don Young: *headbutts camera* https://t.co/E4EDbAH5S0
Rep. Don Young shows his headbutt skills after refusing to answer a simple but important question. #akleg #akgov https://t.co/TrPyuKm5F7
— Dermot Cole (@DermotMCole) October 31, 2019
The first thing to point out about this story is that it stems from citizen journalism. The people asking the questions and filming the encounter were from the left-wing pressure group MoveOn, not a mainstream media outlet.
But the weird way that the politician handled the encounter propelled it to a much wider audience.
So, what should spokespeople do when they are faced by a doorstep interview with a journalist (or activist)?
Stop
The first thing to do in this situation is to stop and briefly give the reporter a brief response to their question. Then promise to come back with something fuller.
The reality is that no-one is really looking for a full interview in this scenario.
All too often spokespeople ignore this simple rule, ignore the questions that are being asked and keep on walking, which creates the impression they are running scared and have something to hide.
Thinking time
The nature of this scenario catches spokespeople off-guard. Saying ‘good morning’ or ‘good afternoon’ not only ensures you sound polite but also gives you a little time to gain your composure and get your thoughts together before you respond.
Don’t show annoyance
There is a school of thought that doorstep interviews are a deliberate attempt to rattle spokespeople, to gain emotional responses and dramatic footage rather than gather a worthwhile response.
It can make for great footage, as this example shows.
The key for spokespeople is to avoid taking the bait and deal with the situation calmly and with control. This includes ensuring that what you say doesn’t sound overly defensive or irritable.
Exit
It is important spokespeople have an exit strategy so you know where they are going after they have made their comments and can make a quick getaway.
Training
One of the biggest issues with this interview format is it catches people off-guard and they feel ill-prepared to face the media.
Of course, you don’t know when you will face this level of scrutiny but good crisis communication training and media training, involving current working journalists, can expose you to this environment and help you feel more prepared.
Media First are media and communications training specialists with over 30 years of experience. We have a team of trainers, each with decades of experience working as journalists, presenters, communications coaches and media trainers.
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