Tips on Conducting Good Press Interviews

1. Phone Calls: Return calls from members of the media immediately. Remember that journalists are on tight deadlines and need quick responses.

2. Prepare: Ask the journalist what the angle is before the interview starts, and draft two or three essential points that you want to get across. Whenever possible, provide the reporter with background information or statistics prior to or immediately following the interview.

3. Decorate: If the interview is taking place in person, and a camera potentially involved, display posters with slogans visible in the area around you. If the interview is in an office, at the very least, take your computer screen to www.november.org or www.journeyforjustice.org. If you have an imprisoned loved one, have a large picture, framed and on your desk, or on end table if in your home - or where the interview is going to take place.

4. Listen: Really listen to the question that you are being asked. Take time to formulate your response before you start to answer.

5. Tell Your Story: If you have a drug war story - tell it. Be quick and concise and then make broader points. Don't let the interview seem as if you are the only victim of the war on drugs. Do not get into the details of a complicated drug conspiracy story. Leave out the informant's name, the prosecutor, and the judge unless the story is about the details of your loved one's case. Remember that the injustice of the war on drugs has touched millions of lives -- stress that with any personalization of the injustice.

6. Be Honest and Accurate: Answer questions honestly and openly. If you are unsure or uncomfortable with the information feel free to say, "I am not positive about that, but I will find out for you." Speak and answer within your experience. It is okay for you not to have a particular answer, and saying so is better than saying something incorrect, exagerrated, or misleading.

7. Think Sound Bites: Keep answers short and to the point. Think in five word answers that avoid acronyms. Assume your audience is the "Average Joe" who knows nothing about your expertise, little about drug war injustice.

8. Traps: Be careful to avoid repeating an interviewer's words and try not to answer hypothetical questions. Never speak "off the record"; say only what you would want to see in print. Also, prepare for the three questions you hope are not asked.

9. Relax: Smile, make eye contact and be assertive. Remember that you are the expert and the much-needed source for the story. This is an opportunity for you to showcase both your knowledge, the issues and groups working on them.

10. Wrapping Up: Thank the reporter and ask what else you can do to help. As a useful media resource, you and the November Coalition become the much-appreciated "go-to" source for future stories.

11. Utilize Resources: If you are ever unsure about your message or the integrity of the interview, contact the staff of the November Coalition moreinfo@november.org. We are here to help you build a positive and successful relationship with the media.

Adapted from Portland State Unniversity's Tips on conducting good press interviews