{"id":2173,"date":"2020-08-18T12:15:51","date_gmt":"2020-08-18T12:15:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/info.maccabee.com\/blog\/?p=2173"},"modified":"2024-12-18T16:12:46","modified_gmt":"2024-12-18T16:12:46","slug":"tips-broadcast-interview-covid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/info.maccabee.com\/blog\/tips-broadcast-interview-covid\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Ways to Score a Broadcast Interview in the Midst of COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

Has anything changed with how PR pros and corporate communicators should approach TV and radio producers during this COVID-19 pandemic and economic meltdown? Ohhh\u2014heavens, yes!<\/p>\n

To hear directly from the experts, we invited three of our favorite journalists\u2014WCCO-TV weekend morning meteorologist Mike Augustyniak, KSTP-TV \u201cTwin Cities Live\u201d associate producer Brittany Runck and WCCO Radio host Roshini Rajkumar\u2014to our virtual panel to explore how the pandemic has transformed how they work and present their stories\u2014and learn what you can do you can get them to tell yours.<\/p>\n

Here are the six biggest takeaways from Maccabee\u2019s Sharper Angle panel event, \u201cBroadcast Media in the Wake of COVID-19: The Do’s and the Don’ts.\u201d [Watch the entire panel discussion recording on YouTube<\/a>]<\/p>\n

1. Prepare your spokesperson for virtual interviews<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With the majority of interviews being done virtually, it\u2019s important that your spokesperson is trained to deal with any potential quirks that might result from remote interviews.<\/p>\n

Runck explained how \u201cTwin Cities Live\u201d has pivoted from in-studio interviews to Skype-driven interviews with guests outside the station. \u201cBehind the scenes, we asked\u2014how is this broadcast set-up even possible?!,\u201d marvels Runck. \u201cBut now we\u2019ve been able to add Skype into our control room as, essentially, a live shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Roshini

Roshini Rajkumar, WCCO Radio<\/p><\/div>\n

Meanwhile, Rajkumar relies on a combination of high-quality microphones and software, as all of her interviews are being done remotely at least through early 2021. \u201cNone of our station\u2019s hosts are in the studio,\u201d says Rajkumar, who misses that in-person rapport with guests. She cautions that some out-of-studio connections (e.g., cell service, Skype, Zoom) may drop due to technical issues. So marketers, be sure to rehearse interviews with your spokesperson so that they can recover mid-conversation if needed.<\/p>\n

2. It\u2019s your (PR) job to provide more visuals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Providing TV producers with visuals has never been more important, says Augustyniak, but your video doesn\u2019t have to be flawless. \u201cThere\u2019s been a readjustment in our viewers\u2019 expectations that not everything they see will be perfect. TV is still a visual medium. Even though we have a Zoom screen, that alone doesn\u2019t make for a great video for a 10-minute segment. Providing us with B-roll video, even if you\u2019ve shot it on your cell phone, is great. Investing in tools that make for good visuals is your responsibility as a PR person.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Brittany

Brittany Runck, Twin Cities Live<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cOnce we book the segment you pitched,\u201d adds Runck, \u201cif you provide me with elements like video B-roll and pictures before I even follow-up with you, that makes me want to work with you again. Priority number one is how we can get content on the air that looks<\/em> decent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Augustyniak provides an example of a first-class PR technique from, of all things, a band called Yam Haus. \u201cThey put together a recorded-as-live performance in their basement<\/a> and played a song during one of the first COVID-19 weekends when everything else was shut down. Not only did they perform it on Zoom, but they also had a street team shooting the song in high def at the same time while routing the audio through their board, which they uploaded to WCCO. For any PR people watching, we\u2019d love to recreate that!”<\/p>\n

3. Do your research before you pitch<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t pitch true crime to \u201cTwin Cities Live\u201d and understand that Rajkumar\u2019s Sunday talk show can be pre-empted by Twins games. \u201cKnow the show you\u2019re pitching,\u201d says Runck. \u201cWe get pitches that say, \u2018Brittany, here\u2019s a great segment for your morning show.\u2019 But we\u2019re an afternoon show. That tells me they\u2019re pitching their story to everyone to get a bite.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, says Rajkumar, customize your pitch to her. \u201cWhen someone writes an email saying, \u2018Roshini this would be a great panel for your program,\u2019 that shows me they know I air panel segments. It\u2019s shocking to me that PR people don\u2019t know what not<\/u> to pitch me. There\u2019s no excuse for their not doing analysis before they pitch because most of us have social handles on multiple platforms. Do your homework\u201d.<\/p>\n

4. Help the media balance pandemic news with \u2026 anything else<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t despair if your brand\u2019s story has nothing to do with the pandemic. \u201cI myself had COVID fatigue early on,\u201d admits Rajkumar. \u201cAnd if your topic is going to bore the host, it won\u2019t get covered. What I try to do on the COVID-19 front is to take the topic to the next level. For example, we talked about which restaurant patios are now open. And we had a family therapist on our show talking about the importance of communicating,\u201d which was both connected to the pandemic and was of broader, general interest as well. \u201cI look to myself as a respite from 24\/7 COVID-19 coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Avoid a bad PR pitch that promises a non-existent tie to COVID-19<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"Mike

Mike Augustyniak, WCCO-TV<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cEarly in the outbreak, I received what was clearly a generic pitch from a national PR agency on how eating their snack food could boost your immune levels and combat COVID-19,\u201d bewails Augustyniak. \u201cI screenshot it, tweeted it out, and said \u2018No way in hell I\u2019m booking your guest and you\u2019re now on my never hire list for PR people.\u2019 Be aware that a bad pitch can be as off-putting as a good pitch can be important to your client’s success.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Producers want you to be social media active<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Rajkumar encourages guests to think about what they can do on social media to augment their segment on WCCO Radio. \u201cWhen I see a brand or a guest tagging me and our station on social, that makes them a wanted guest in the future. Don\u2019t be passive on social. The PR folks who get social are some of my go-to sources.\u201d<\/p>\n

As an example, Rajkumar interviewed a guest about mentorship\u2014a compelling topic during this era of career anxiety. \u201cThe guest was based in Spain, his company is based in London and his parents live in Edina. His team really worked social media with us, reposting my social posts, responding with pictures we could use on our social\u2014all of which gave WCCO Radio a global audience.\u201d<\/p>\n

The quotes above were edited for clarity and length. Listen to the full 45-minute virtual event, \u201cBroadcast Media in the Age of COVID-19,\u201d on Maccabee’s YouTube page:<\/em><\/p>\n