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Hold your own with the media: the only thing you fully control when you talk to reporters is what you say and how you say it. Here's how to ensure your message is part of the story.

Article Excerpt
When Ronald Reagan was running for reelection in 1984, veteran CBS reporter Leslie Stahl produced a story about how the Reagan White House tried to manipulate the news media by staging phony TV photo opportunities. These events were designed to present positive images of the president while avoiding any serious examination of the issues and the hard questions reporters would most certainly ask. Stahl's story said that not only were these staged events helping the Reagan team avoid responding to its critics, but they were also in direct conflict with his record.

Stahl's report showed video of Reagan appearing at the Special Olympics and a home for the elderly. She pointed out that Reagan had pushed for cuts in federal programs for these groups. Stahl thought her scathing report would make White House officials angry, but a Reagan aide called to thank her for the story. The aide said it was a great piece and the Reagan crowd loved it because the American people saw four and a half minutes of great pictures of the president.

Stahl couldn't believe it. She recounted the claims she had made in her story. "We loved it," the official said again. "They don't listen to you if you're contradicting great pictures. They don't hear what you are saying if the pictures are saying something different." (1)

You don't have to be a savvy political operative or media genius to hold your own with the press, but you do need a basic understanding of how the news business works, including a few fundamental concepts. Whether you're a trial lawyer who's part of a global enterprise or a small business, or on your own, you can manage the media to counteract negative coverage and take advantage of opportunities to promote your message.

You might believe that journalists are in total control when they set out to report a news story. While it's true that they have most of the advantages, lawyers have some too. The key is to know reporters' strengths, accept them, and then concentrate on how to maximize your own.

Reporters may not have a script fully written by the time they interview you, but they have determined the context and theme of their story and are gathering elements to fit that premise.

They ask the questions, then edit the information they've gathered to write the story. Editing is their most powerful weapon. Think of reporters as judges, making decisions as they edit to determine what stays and what is cut.

As the object of the news-gathering and editing...

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