Dan Centinello provides a brief guide on how to ready a candidate for a televised interview.

1. CameraReady:
How to Prep for a Televised Interview
DAN CENTINELLO

2. Televisionpushesviewerstojudge
acandidate fromacosmetic
standpoint-theirbodylanguage,
wardrobe,andexpression.Eventhe
mostlogicalargumentscanfallflat
inatelevisedinterviewifthe
intervieweeappearsrattledor
unprepared.

3. PREPARATION IS A MUST FOR
ANYONE LOOKING TO SPEAK
ON-AIR.
HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO GET
READY FOR A TELEVISED
INTERVIEW.

4. Set the interview
context.
All of these questions need to be answered
in detail before a candidate tapes on a mic.
A would-be interviewee who walks in
without proper knowledge of what the
interview will be focused on risks appearing
confused, disorganized, or even uninformed
on-camera.
Where will the interview take
place?
How long will it be expected to
continue for?
Which topics will you be
discussing?

5. Doyour
research.
The last thing an aspiring political figure
wants is to appear out-of-touch with current
political events - or worse, with their own
policies.
Make sure to review national and local
current events as well as your held campaign
policies and the opposition’s arguments
against them.
Have snappy quotes and statistics in hand to
support your position, and consider running
a few recorded practice interviews. This will
not only help you prepare, but it will
additionally help you find body language or
tics that translate poorly on screen.

6. Prepare your
staff.
Remember, everything is on the record
unless a specific agreement is made to
prohibit recorded comment - so talk to your
staff! Warn them of the reporter’s visit well in
advance, and then again on the day of the
interview.
Circulate a memo with official talking points
to avoid confusion, and consider appointing
a media-savvy staffer to act as a guide for the
reporter.
Finally, remember to clean up the campaign
office before the visit! No candidate wants to
be known as the politician who can’t keep
their own house in order.

7. Stayclear,
concise,and
on-message.
Speakers will do nearly anything to avoid
awkward silences - and reporters know it! In
fact, many use long pauses as a means to
encourage the interviewee to talk more. Left
unchecked, a nervous interviewee might
break off onto a rambling tangent, and drop
their well-thought-out talking points.
Stay concise and directed! Answer
questions, but remember not to wander off
onto conversational paths that will land you
in hot political water later. Prepare clear
talking points, and stick to them!

8. Building positive rapport with the
media is a must for all candidates.
Prepare accordingly!