Let’s face it, the optics did not look good.
It may have been a farcical press conference which reflects poorly on all concerned, but ultimately it was the British Prime Minister who suffered the humiliation of being empty chaired.
If you haven’t seen it yet, Boris Johnson was due to give a joint press conference alongside Luxembourg prime minister Xavier Bettel on Monday.
But Mr Johnson pulled out amid concerns he would not be heard above a group of near-by Brexit protesters.
Organisers, however, refused to move the press conference – stating there wasn’t a room ready to accommodate it - and it went ahead with Mr Bettel talking alongside an empty podium and gesturing somewhat comically at his absent colleague.
"Now it's on Mr Johnson"
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 16, 2019
Luxembourg PM Xavier Bettel says the EU isn't the "bad guy" in the #Brexit process, while standing next to an empty podium after Boris Johnson pulled out of a press conference
[Tap to expand] https://t.co/QjxNOG7SGc pic.twitter.com/jgkrLJQewq
For a man who had just compared himself to the Incredible Hulk, and spent much of the past fortnight deriding his main political rival as a chicken, it was a move which was always going to lead to mockery.
The Daily Mirror labelled him the ‘Incompetent Sulk’ and social media users had a field day.
My favourite episode of The Incredible Hulk is the one where a small group of people shouted too loudly so he ran away
— Michael Deacon (@MichaelPDeacon) September 16, 2019
YES HULK SMASH BUT ALSO SOMETIMES HULK SCARED OF PRESS CONFERENCE pic.twitter.com/55xN37OQHR
— James Felton (@JimMFelton) September 16, 2019
Boris Johnson:
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) September 16, 2019
“Corbyn‘s a chicken! Chicken Corbyn! Hey KFC! Corbyn‘s a scaredy chicken!”
Also Boris Johnson:
*hears protestors at joint press conference*
*runs away* pic.twitter.com/lIKz9YRGZw
May I introduce you to the Incredible Hulk. Today he is wearing his Harry Potter invisibility cloak... pic.twitter.com/EyRaSsZFRB
— Tom Watson (@tom_watson) September 16, 2019
Downing Street later described Luxembourg's refusal to move the press conference inside – away from the heckles and booing – as ‘extraordinary’ and some have seen it as a diplomatic snub, an aggressive move and a deliberate attempt to humiliate the UK leader.
BoJo’s treatment in Luxembourg was staggeringly rude and utterly nauseating The Sun
Le Stitch Up Daily Mail
These theatrics may detract from far more serious issues, but they also contain important media training lessons, showing once again how dangerous it can be to be empty-chaired.
The empty-chair is a last-ditch option the media occasionally use to embarrass organisations who have not put a spokesperson forward for interview. It suggests actions are indefensible.
The Government was recently empty-chaired on the Victoria Derbyshire Show when it refused to put someone forward to discuss the prorogation of parliament.
And, although it wasn’t an interview, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg was infamously empty chaired after declining an invitation to appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee last year.
But the visual humiliation aside, the bigger risk is that organisations and spokespeople who take this approach, turn down the option of shaping the story.
And the media will turn to someone else to fill that void.
Look at how Mr Bettel used Mr Johnson’s absence to launch an uninterrupted – and widely covered - attack on the UK side and Brexit.
He called the UK’s departure from the EU and Johnson’s plans for it as a ‘nightmare’ and accused him of not putting forward any new plans.
He said: “Our people need to know what is going to happen to them in six weeks’ time.
"They need clarity, they need certainty, and they need stability. You can’t hold a future hostage for party political gains.”
And not being present, there was nothing the British prime minister could do to challenge and respond.
Saying nothing is almost always worse than saying something.
On our media training courses, we stress there are few occasions when an organisation should turn down a media interview request.
Here are the exceptions:
Bad association
If someone in your sector is in the news for the wrong reasons you could be asked to give your views.
For example, the boss of a rival airline could have been asked to give their views on the United Airlines crisis when video footage emerged of a bloodied passenger being dragged from one of its planes.
But would it really be a good idea for you to go on television or radio to talk about this? You could inadvertently be linked to the negative incident in the public's eyes.
When you don’t have a media-trained spokesperson available
It is crucial organisations have several experienced spokespeople with recent media training available to talk to journalists, but if you really can’t get one ahead of the reporter’s deadline, the request should be turned down.
Interviews cannot be winged and a spokesperson without media training would be exposed.
Bad experience
If your organisation has had bad experiences with a particular reporter, such as spokespeople being repeatedly misquoted or feeling they have been unfairly treated, it could be a good option to decline the request.
When the subject isn’t relevant
In the world of rolling 24-hour news channels sometimes journalists just need a spokesperson to talk about an issue, and the link can occasionally be a bit tenuous.
If the topic is not relevant to your organisation, there is nothing really to be gained from doing the interview.
And your spokesperson could find themselves in a position where they are discussing something they have no real expertise on or becoming embroiled in speculation, both of which could be very damaging.
Exclusive interviews
If you have already given an exclusive interview to one particular organisation you cannot set one up with a rival media outlet.
The key here though is to ensure the journalist does not completely lose interest in your organisation. Is there a different story you can offer them? Could you offer them an opportunity at a later date, perhaps a feature interview if it is a print journalist?
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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