Why Did They Get My Quote Wrong?

If a reporter misquotes you, don’t rule out the possibility that the error was yours.

If you’ve ever been interviewed by the media, chances are you one time or another looked at the final article in print and wondered, “Where did that quote come from? I didn’t say that.” I’m not referring to a damaging, libelous misquote…just the run-of-the-mill what I meant to say doesn’t match the what the reporter said I said.

The instinctive reaction is to blame the reporter. They got it wrong! But consider another possibility: We didn’t make it very easy on the reporter to get it right.

Media training can cure a lot of ills…including the chronic misquote.

If you engage in an in-depth media training session, you can expect to work on the following exercises, designed among other things to ensure accuracy in quoting…

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Brevity Is the Soul of Right.
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I’ve seen interviewees provide a 12-minute response to a 15-second question. Don’t forget that there is a real person on the other end of the phone or conversation, and that person is trying to take notes. He or she will capture what is possible, but listen for the sound byte to jump out. If you can provide that sound byte for the media, you will get quoted colorfully and accurately…and you will get to “own” the quotable tidbit.

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Jargon is So Technoriliatic
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Okay, so I made up that word. But some of the industry jargon we use everyday is just as foreign to the reporter who doesn’t work in our industries everyday. Speak in plain English. Explain the industry argot and acronyms, or avoid their usage altogether. Or, run the risk of getting misquoted or having that portion of your response thrown out completely. It’s your call.

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Stick to Key Messages
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The not-too-distant cousin of the misquote is the lame quote. “I remember saying that, but the other stuff I said was WAY more important.” Then why are you saying unimportant stuff? Prior to each interview, spend a few minutes jotting down the 3-5 key messages that you deem critical to the audience’s understanding of your position. If you were to read the article next week, what are those things that absolutely, positively have to appear in that piece? Then, confine your responses to be framed in that context.

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Building Bridges
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If your key message is “Soup is good food,” and a reporter’s question is about the challenges of playing quarterback in the NFL, you must artfully bring the question back into the realm of the subject matter you wish to be quoted against. If your response is, “It’s a dangerous job!” don’t be disappointed that your key messages didn’t come out. But if you can master the skill of bridging, you will be able to offer a response such as, “It’s a challenging job to perform if you’re not preparing with hot soup before a game and replenishing your nutrients with soup after the game.” Horrible example, but you get the point.

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Is the media getting your point? They certainly do their best. But media training and interview preparation will go a long way toward helping a reporter get colorful, accurate quotes. That’s really what they’re after, anyway.