Robert Taylor studied at Multnomah School of the Bible from 1971-1974. He received his BA from Lutheran Bible Institute, his MA from Northwest Baptist Seminary, and his DMin from Columbia Evangelical Seminary. Teaching Daniel, Romans, and Revelation for Cascade Bible College, Bellevue, WA, was also invaluable preparation for writing Eternal by Choice.

Supported by online resources, including web links for each chapter to relevant media interviews and high-profile news stories

Foreword
Acknowledgements 01 Why do a media interview?Have something newsworthy to say!
When to decline a media interview
Summary
Exercises02 Preparing for your interviewBasic information you need
Anticipate the questions
Know your organization's line on sensitive corporate issues
What's topical in your industry that the journalist might ask you about?
The role of your PR department
Become a great spokesperson
Get media trained
Summary
Exercises03 How to create a resonant messageMake your business objective action-oriented
No more than three key messages
Constructing a "message sandwich'"
Get to the point ...
Remembering your messages
Summary
Exercises

04 Keeping your coolToo much adrenaline - nervousness
Too much adrenaline - anger
So should you ever lose your cool?
The exceptions
Not enough adrenaline - over-confidence
What's better: live or recorded?
Summary
Exercises05 Voice and body language
Eye contact
Posture
Pace of delivery
Other aspects of good voice and body language
Dress sense
Summary
Exercises06 The perfect tone of voiceA W.I.S.E tone
1 Keeping your delivery as conversational as possible
2 Using mind pictures
All elements of W.I.S.E. working together
Curtailing your curtness
Finding the full stop
Humour
Summary
Exercises07 Keeping control of the interviewABC: the bridging technique
The helicopter technique
The caving technique
Avoiding the question - rarely a good idea
Repetition of key messages
How to get off to a good start in a live broadcast interview
Handling unfair questions
The honest truth
Apologizing
Getting your company name into a broadcast interview
Off the record
Summary
Exercises08 Winning over sceptical and hostile audiences
The spectrum of opinion
Bridges of empathy
Cooling things down
Empathy must be genuine
Attentive listening
Empathy as a message
The 'open sandwich' - starting with your example or evidence then hitting the key message
Insulting, offending and patronizing people
Empathy in politics
Does empathy work everywhere?
Summary
Exercises09 Crisis media interviewsHow not to handle a crisis media interview
"I'd like my life back"
A formula for handling crisis interviews
Concern/sympathy
Action/explanation
Concern and action working together
Perspective
Being ambushed or "doorstepped"
Summary
Exercises10 Capitalizing on your interviewAnalyse what went well and not so well
Use social media to ensure your interview is seen, heard or read by your target publics
And if you don't like something the journalist wrote?
Build a strong relationship with the journalist
Summary
ExercisesBibliography
Index