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.

 

Media Training Vital at All Levels of Equestrian Sport Organization

Most media relations problems have a reason behind them that is pretty glaring to anyone who understands the media. Members of the equestrian community (and many other niche-market sports) complain if they don’t get coverage. They also complain if they get covered but the story isn’t exactly what they would have liked. It’s interesting to hear and read the rationale of some of those who are first to complain about no coverage or less-than-perfect coverage. It only proves the need for media training at all levels of an organization – especially if that organization is seeking sponsors, spectators and higher visibility. Media training is about changing a mind-set, as much or more as it is about skills.

 

I’ve written here before about how you can’t develop a relationship with the media unless you get the facts straight. You must be equipped with accurate facts. Journalists don’t like to be made fools of by printing or broadcasting your inaccurate facts. I’ve also written before that good media relations begins at the grassroots of any organization. Change the mind-set at that level and you pave the way for a brighter relationship with the media in the future. I also always stress the importance of not blaming the messenger if you don’t like the news. All of these rules of thumb came to light today.

 

I was reading an internet forum for equestrians. It’s not media coverage, but it is in the public domain. And, these presumed-to-be-young participants are the grassroots of the sport — the future of the sport. Someone had made a post about the #1-ranked show jumper in the world, with a headline exclaiming that he was the “World Champion”. I logged in and pointed out that, while being the #1-ranked rider in the world is an outstanding achievement, it does not constitute holding the title of World Champion. Rankings constantly evolve and the only person who can claim the title of World Champion is the person who won that contest. Just like the only person who can be called the Olympic gold medalist is the rider who won the gold medal at the Olympics. The same is true of the Pan American Games, the World Cup or any other sporting event. My point was only to help these presumed-to-be young equestrians understand what these titles mean.

 

A couple of responses pondered the situation, one noting that she had picked up on the same error. Then several responses served to illustrate the systemic mind-set that is the root of most media relations problems. One posted “WHO cares about all of the technical BS” and commented that it made her need a smoke. A chorus joined in in agreement.

 

Technical BS? These young equestrians will grow up someday (with any luck) and may  play a role in the administration of the sport. Or they may be competitors who speak to the media, representing the sport. Hopefully, they will no longer believe that you can arbitrarily ordain someone “World Champion”. Sport does not work that way. By comparison, I cannot say I am an Olympic athlete because I’ve been to several Olympic Games. I was there as a journalist, not a competitor. The difference is not “technical BS”.

 

Good media relations begins at the grassroots level. Accurate facts are near the top of a journalist’s list of needs. The line between accurate and inaccurate is not “technical BS”.

Window of Opportunity to Make News is Short

The Olympics have given me a lot of inspiration for a blog about media relations. There are thousands of athletes there who know that an Olympic medal can bring a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for visibility. They also know that such visibility will be followed by money in some form. It may be in the form of sponsorship for them, it may be increased funding for their sport as a whole, or it may be future career opportunities.

 

A small number of those thousands of athletes at the Olympics haven’t made this connection. But, the window of opportunity to get the most from a once-in-a-lifetime achievement is short.

 

Hard as it is to believe, I’ve heard of some amazing responses from athletes who are lucky enough to have this opportunity. For example, following a record-setting medal win and being asked to do an interview with a major newspaper, “How about sometime tomorrow afternoon?”. By tomorrow afternoon, today’s news is ancient history. An interview done tomorrow afternoon will appear in a newspaper two days after the news has occurred. Even long before electronic news sources, news travelled faster than that.

 

Another shocking response from an athlete asked to fulfill a media request was,  “Well, we’re all celebrating and drinking now, can’t we do this another time?” By “another time” another athlete will likely have done something equally or more newsworthy and all opportunities will be gone for the athlete who was celebrating. IF he or she has some luck (and/or a very good publicist), they will get coverage anyway.

 

There is a very short window of opportunity to capitalize on making news, especially when making history. This is especially true in a case like the Olympics where news will keep breaking and records will continue to be broken constantly over 16 days.

 

All those athletes who understand the connection between visibility and financial success would do almost anything for the opportunities that these less-sophisticated ones are willing to throw away. But sometimes it’s the less sophisticated ones who win or set records. That is why some sports continue to prosper and some continue to struggle with image problems and poor funding. It is also why some sport federations have mandatory media training and will sanction an athlete who fails to conduct themselves properly.

 

Yes, it’s tiring winning medals and setting records on the other side of the world. And it’s worthy of a personal celebration. But, it’s also tiring being a journalist covering it. As I’ve said in previous posts on my general media relations page, respect the journalist’s time and their work. It’s as important to them as what you do is to you. The same rules apply whether it is the Olympics or any other newsworthy situation. The window of opportunity to react and to capitalize is short. Then it’s gone, probably forever.