Guidelines for Positive Media Contact
You have a responsibility to cooperate with the media...you are the ambassadors for the sport of bowling. The most important thing is to make the media work for you - to promote the sport of bowling. You should be prepared to talk to media after a win or a loss. You can't ignore the media because of a poor performance. People at home are interested in you and want to know what happened; otherwise, the media wouldn't bother talking you. Journalists tend to seek out athletes who speak freely and easily and have something interesting to say. They tend to avoid athletes who don't have anything to say, such as those who give yes or no answers or lots of "Uh, well, I don't know, uh you know," offering nothing of concrete interest.

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
To give yourself a little time to think about your answers, ask the reporter what kinds of questions he or she is going to ask you. If a journalist asks what you perceive as dumb questions, be patient, and offer them a piece of information they may not have.

DURING THE INTERVIEW
Take your time, especially if you feel pressed. Be yourself. Be open, honest, and personable with your responses. Talk to the interviewer. The camera and microphone will find you. If you did have a pre-interview conversation with the journalist, avoid saying "Like I said before" during the actual interview.

Put your answer in words you are comfortable with but that the average viewers/listeners/readers can also understand. Your audience is not experts in the sport of bowling, so avoid highly technical terms of jargon. Answer with a question if you want to regain control. If a journalist says, "Many people say that . . ," you can respond, "Who told you that?" Don't give yes or no answers, but also avoid long-winded responses that drag on. Questions should normally be answered in 30 to 50 seconds. 
                         

Edited   2023/08/10

Loaded 25/08/09