Working With Reporters

Reporters have a job to do. They need to gather as much pertinent information as they can to answer the who, what, where, when, why, and how of every news story, and they are under pressure to get that information first. It’s a job that demands a degree of assertiveness and skepticism, and it requires that they ask tough questions. If reporters seem antagonistic, don’t assume that they necessarily are—they may just be trying to do their job. Also, news agencies may be understaffed and short on resources, so often their abruptness, which may seem unnerving, is because they have a lot of work and need to get answers quickly. Be patient, honest, and open when dealing with journalists, no matter how hostile they may seem.