Page 207 - The New Articulate Executive_ Look, Act and Sound Like a Leader

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DEALING WITH

THE MEDIA

recent survey revealed that more than half of all executives
A polled so distrust TV reporters that they would fl atly refuse to
be interviewed on television under any circumstances. This is under-
standable, given the aggressive “ambush” nature of “Sixty Minutes”
and its subsequent imitators over the years and considering the gen-
erally antibusiness bias behind most TV stories involving
corporations.
Yet for those who feel they have a story to tell and are willing to
view the medium as a stepping-stone rather than an obstacle, televi-
sion is an opportunity almost too good to pass up.
-

Handled properly, one free minute on network TV can be worth more
than a year’s fees to Madison Avenue.
-

Here are a few suggestions:

Consider yourself on the air from the moment you walk into the
studio. No need to be paranoid, but keep in mind that careless chat-

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