By: Kevin Feeley, President, Bellevue Communications Group
When I worked at City Hall, we were given two standing rules in the Press Office:
- Know more than the reporter asking the questions; and
- Be faster with bad news than good.
Having learned these rules on the job at City Hall, where crises occur almost daily, I’ve relied on them ever since to advise clients when a communications emergency arises.
Know more than the reporter asking the questions
I learned the first lesson watching, with awe, my friend David L. Cohen, then the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, answer reporters’ questions on a range of City government topics. His mastery of the issues was encyclopedic and frankly intimidating for reporters, who understood that if “DLC” said it, you could take it to the bank. It worked because of Cohen’s incredible memory and tireless efforts to learn all sides of an issue or argument before the interview.
In interviews, his recall of the most minute details was astounding, and reporters invariably relied on the accuracy of the information they were receiving from him. Cohen understood that information is power, and knowing more always gave him an advantage in interviews. Best of all, it often meant that reporters wrote about the issue the way that he framed it for them.
Be faster with bad news than good
The second rule is an outgrowth of the first: When bad news happens, it’s better to convey it quickly – in press parlance, to “get ahead of the story” – although speed should not be achieved at the expense of accuracy, reinforcing the wisdom of the “know more” rule. Bad as the news might be, it helps to convey it proactively instead of waiting for reporters and editors to learn about it from other sources. Doing so offers the chance to frame the message on your terms, and it also wins points for transparency with the press.
All these years later, having had the privilege to represent hundreds of crisis clients, I’ve added a third rule: Understand why the questions are being asked before responding to them
Sometimes, reporters just want basic information – the who, what, when, and where of a crisis – so there’s no need to provide detailed answers about the situation, its cause, or the motives of the key players.
In other words, even though there’s a fire, it doesn’t mean that someone is asking about whether you were playing with matches.
That’s why it’s critically important to listen to the questions and have an understanding about why the reporter is seeking the interview.
Applying these rules in real-life situations
I had a client recently who, upon receiving a press request asking about a competitor’s recent purchase of a business, became convinced that he himself would be subject to questions or criticism about his own sale discussions with that company a few months earlier. We prepared a full range of responses to address these concerns, only to learn that the reporter merely sought basic information about the acquisition target and if we knew anything about it. In the end, the interview lasted less than 10 minutes, and the story didn’t mention the client at all.
Trial lawyers remind their clients to “answer the question and only the question.” In other words, don’t offer more than you’re being asked to provide. Having a firm grasp of the likely questions and the reasons they’re being asked is a great way to minimize negative press.
All three rules are built on the same premise: Know the full story before you become part of it.
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About the author
Kevin has more than 30 years of experience in journalism, law, and government, specializing in issue management, crisis communications, and press relations. From 1992-2000, Kevin served as Deputy Mayor for Communications for Mayor Edward G. Rendell. In that capacity, he helped to shape press coverage for the Rendell Administration, serving as the Mayor’s spokesman and developing working relationships with reporters and editors at every major media outlet in the Philadelphia region. At Bellevue, he has had the privilege of representing hundreds of clients in the public, private, and institutional sectors on a wide range of issues.
Before his time at City Hall, Kevin practiced law in Philadelphia, specializing in civil litigation. He began his career as a journalist in the Greater Philadelphia region, writing for multiple local papers as well as freelancing for national news publications.