Young reporters: In time, you’ll get wise to a tactic some politicians use under tough questioning that I refer to as “talk you out of time.” But why wait to get wise to it – I’ll tell you what it is right now! (1/9)
“Talk you out of time” is something politicians do when they 1) aren’t great at interviews 2) don’t have good answers to your questions or 3) want to get their message heard with minimal return questioning (2/9)
Savvy politicians know there’s a time limit on the conversation – either one their staff imposed, or one you have (like in the case of most live TV interviews). So if these politicians can “talk you out of time” they can walk away unscathed. (3/9)
This is why some journalists “interrupt” frequently during an interview. It’s not that they want to be rude – they’re being advocates for their viewers’ time. But it’s not enough to realize you’re being “talked out of time” in the moment. Oh no! You need to plan for it. (4/9)
Example: We booked @KshamaSocialist for an in-studio interview a few years back during a controversial “Tax Amazon” push. She is a master of staying on message (quite a skill of hers actually!), which means it takes longer to get a direct answer. We planned for this. (5/9)
In fact, our news director herself came to the control room to give our producer the OK to kill as many commercial breaks as would be necessary to get questions answered for viewers. Before we knew it, an 8-minute interview blasted through a full half hour. (6/9)
She could either walk off set at that point, or answer the questions. Those were the only options. That’s an extreme example, but it shows the importance of understanding and researching what kind of interview you’re getting into, and then planning for how to handle it. (7/9)
If you have an interview with a politician known for going off topic or burying a non-answer in word soup – be ready. If you have a strict time limit, set the tone immediately. The very first time they veer off course, bring them back politely but firmly. (8/9)
Finally – accept that interviewing will be a work in progress through your whole career. I’m constantly trying to work on these things (like my bad habit of asking long questions) and I see even the best network anchors struggle with time killers frequently. Good luck! (9/9)
