Tips on being interviewed

Encourage a person in your group to do the interview who can think on their feet and relate well to people. A lively interviewee makes good listening and they are more likely to be asked back!

Before being interviewed ask a few questions – be prepared.

• Will it be live or recorded? If it’s recorded, be aware of it possibly being edited before broadcasting. The editors will be looking for ‘soundbites’ – clear, succinct statements about what you’re on about.
• Ask how long will it be so you know how much detail to go into with your answers.
• What is the topic of the interview? If the interviewer wanders off the topic, there’s nothing wrong with bring it back on track – you’ve got the knowledge – you’re in control!
• Who listens to the show – what is your audience? Think about how you can direct your answers to them.
• Ask if anyone else will be interviewed alongside of you to argue the opposing view.

Doing the interview

• Local radio interviews generally aren’t there to hugely challenge or trip you up on what you have to say, so don’t feel unnecessarily nervous or defensive. Chances are the interviewer just wants to encourage you to tell your story in a clear succinct way.

• Most interviews are short and snappy, so think of one or two things you want to get across in the interview and try to repeat them a few times clearly. Don’t let yourself wander off on a tangent – you’ll loose people’s interest, and there’s probably not enough time.
• If possible, ask beforehand what questions you may be asked and jot down some key notes – NOT whole sentences – people can tell if you're reading your answers from paper.
• We as Christians tend to use our own language that fellow Christians understand. Be aware of this and try to use language that’s accessible to everyone.
• If you're asked a question you can’t answer, it’s fine to turn to another subject. "That’s interesting but what I feel is really important to mention is…”

Be confident – you are being interviewed because you’ve got something worth hearing about. Believe in what you're saying and speak with confidence! Remember to mention SPEAK’s website (www.speak.org.uk) so that people can find out more.