Don’t Expect to Get Paid for an Interview

There is a, seemingly, common misconception that being a public figure in the media limelight means you can make money giving interviews. The fact is, that legitimate media outlets do not pay for interviews. The reason is simple. If they are paying you, they can also tell you what to say. Hence, it is no longer real news.

 

This misconception came to my attention on different ocassions in different ways. When asked to do an interview with a high profile magazine, one equestrian asked me “How much will they pay me?” There is a pay-off to having the kind of exposure this opportunity provides. But it is not a direct payment from the media organization. It comes from positioning yourself as a high-profile person in your field, who warrants coverage by big media outlets.

 

The second time this misconception was drawn to my attention was when I was quoted in a newspaper article about a former client. I was accused, on an internet forum, of “selling your story”. The article contained two simple quotes from me. I was not the subject off the story. It was not “my story”. Several people were quoted in it. No one was paid, nor would they ever be by the media outlet in question.

 

You will hear stories, and sometimes they will be true, of magazines and tabloid newspapers paying for the first photos of a famous child,  or the sole rights to photos of a wedding or other special event. It is the exclusivity that gives the photos value. It is also the degree of celebrity of the people involved. It is also not mainstream sources of news that do it.

 

So, if you are asked to do an interview, no matter how high-profile the publication, don’t ask for money. Just consider yourself lucky to get the exposure.