Fraser SeitelFraser Seitel

Donald Trump has a “hate/hate” relationship with the media. Most recently, he “revoked” the Washington Post’s press credentials at his campaign events on the grounds that the venerable newspaper’s coverage of him was “incredibly inaccurate.” In its banishment, the Postjoined BuzzFeed, Politico, The Daily Beast, Univision, Huffington Post and a growing list of other outlets in the Trump penalty box.

That candidate, of course, isn’t alone in loathing the press. An increasing number of Americans — approximately 60 percent, according to the latest Gallup Poll — distrust the media. For the past decade, in fact, trust in the media has drifted steadily downward, the result not only of mounting doubt regarding most American institutions but also due to the media’s special problems with lying (think Brian Williams) and bias (think MSNBC and Fox News).

Sadly, among those who evidently share Trump’s dismal view of the media are many public relations professionals, the very people whose traditional responsibility was to deal with journalists. No less a public relations sage than the inestimable Jack O’Dwyer has regularly lamented the waning interest of media relations among public relations practitioners.

But in this case at least, Jack is right and you are wrong.

Like it or not, the mainstream media — particularly The New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today and network news — still hold great sway in impacting the nation’s news agenda. The same is true for local newspapers in their communities. When it makes the front page of the paper, people start talking and social media starts buzzing.

So, if you’re in public relations, you better know how to deal with the press, if for no other reason than your boss expects you to be an “expert.”

To find out if you are, take the yes-or-no Donald Trump media quiz posted below and find out.

Questions

1. When addressing a reporter, should you use his or her first name?

2. Should you ever challenge a reporter in a verbal duel?

3. Are reporters correct in thinking that they can ask embarrassing questions of anyone in authority?

4. Should you answer a hypothetical question?

5. Should you ever say “No comment?”

6. Do people remember the content of an interview or speech?

7. Should an official ever admit he or she has had professional training to handle the media?

8. If you don’t know the correct answer to a reporter’s question, should you try to answer it anyway?

Bonus Question

What did Henry Kissinger say at the start of his press briefings as Secretary of State?


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Answers

1. Yes. In most cases, using first names is the best strategy. It makes the discussion much more conversational and less formal than using Mr. or Ms. Even Donald Trump subscribes to this approach.

2. No. You can and should challenge a faulty premise. But most people should try to gain goodwill in an interview. This is rarely achieved by getting into an acrimonious debate. Trump, of course, violates this principle every time he opens his big yap.

3. Yes. A journalist’s job is to challenge talking points and rehearsed answers, to get at the real truth. Public relations people, by contrast, counsel clients to “stay on message.” So don’t take it personally if reporters aren’t nice to you and your client. Trump, of course, takes everything personally!

4. No. Avoid hypothetical questions. Rarely can you win by dealing with them. Trump answers them all the time.

5. No. According to research, when people hear you say, “No comment,” they believe you are “guilty.” You appear to be hiding something. Here, candidate Trump is pristine. He has a “comment” for anything!

6. No. Research indicates that audiences remember less and less as time wears on. What people do “remember,” thanks primarily to YouTube and social media, are “sound bytes.” That’s why it makes sense to thoughtfully design these and pepper them strategically throughout an interview. Trump “peppers,” but there doesn’t appear to be much “strategy” lurking behind his typical verbal fusillade.

7. Yes. By all means. They should point out that good communication with the public is a hallmark of their organization and that they give it high priority. Trump prides himself on listening to no one, especially including his precious few public relations “advisors.”

8. No. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Offer to find the answer and get back to the interviewer. Don’t dig yourself into a hole you can’t get out of. When you misspeak today, it’s off-and-running on social media before the interview is concluded. Trump, again by contrast, generally knows everything about everything.

Bonus answer:

“Does anyone have any questions . . . for my answers?”

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Fraser P. Seitel has been a communications consultant, author and teacher for 40 years. He may be reached directly at [email protected]. He is the author of the Prentice-Hall text The Practice of Public Relations, now in its 12th edition, and co-author of Rethinking Reputation and Idea Wise.