The News Reporter: Press Releases, Soundbites, and Interview Preparation

Generate press releases that journalists actually want to cover. Build a soundbite library for interviews. Run hostile interview simulations to prepare for tough questions.

The News Reporter: Press Releases, Soundbites, and Interview Preparation

A single media story can expose your research to more people than years of academic citations. Policymakers, practitioners, and the public consume news; they don't read journals.

But media engagement terrifies most researchers. Say the wrong thing and you're misquoted. Oversimplify and colleagues judge you. Hedge too much and journalists lose interest.

This chapter teaches you to navigate media effectively—generating materials that get coverage and preparing for interviews that go well.

The Media Opportunity

Why Media Matters

Why Researchers Struggle

AI solves the "how" problem. You still need the judgment about "whether."

Press Release Generation

The Press Release Structure

Effective press releases follow a standard structure:

  1. Headline: Newsworthy finding in accessible language
  2. Subhead: Secondary hook or context
  3. Lede paragraph: Who, what, why it matters (2-3 sentences)
  4. Quote: Your statement making it personal
  5. Background: Context for why this research matters
  6. Methods summary: Brief, accessible methodology
  7. Additional quotes: Collaborators or external experts
  8. Boilerplate: About your institution
  9. Contact information: How journalists reach you

The Press Release Prompt

"Create a press release for this research:

[Paste Context Readme summary]

Key finding to lead with: [Most newsworthy finding] News hook: [Why is this timely/relevant?] Institution: [Your institution] Contact: [Your information]

Requirements:

  • Headline that would make a journalist click
  • Lede paragraph with the essential story
  • My quote expressing what this means (write in first person as if I'm saying it)
  • 400-600 words total
  • Accessible to general assignment reporter
  • Include 'Notes to Editors' section with methodology details

Reference my Nuance Guardrails to ensure claims are accurate."

Press Release Quality Checks

After generation:

"Review this press release against my Nuance Guardrails:

[Paste press release]

Guardrails: [Paste guardrails]

Identify:

  • Any claims that overstate findings
  • Headline issues (sensationalism, inaccuracy)
  • Quote issues (would I actually say this?)
  • Missing caveats that journalists need

Suggest specific fixes."

Pitfall Detection

"Play devil's advocate on this press release. As a critical colleague:

[Paste press release]

  • What might be misinterpreted?
  • What could lead to bad headlines?
  • Where might I get pushback from peers?
  • What questions will journalists ask that I should preempt?"

Building Your Soundbite Library

What Soundbites Are

Soundbites are quotable phrases that:

The Soundbite Generation Process

"Create a soundbite library for this research:

[Paste key findings from Context Readme]

Generate soundbites for:

  1. The Big Picture: Why this research matters (one sentence)
  2. The Key Finding: Main result in accessible terms
  3. The Implication: What should change because of this
  4. The Caveat: What we can't claim (honest but not defensive)
  5. The Human Element: How this affects real people
  6. The Next Question: What we need to study next

Each soundbite should:

  • Be 1-2 sentences maximum
  • Use no jargon
  • Be quotable in a news story
  • Remain accurate per my Nuance Guardrails"

Soundbite Refinement

"These soundbites need refinement:

[Paste soundbites]

Make them:

  • More conversational (how would I actually talk?)
  • More memorable (what would stick with a listener?)
  • More concrete (specific examples or numbers)
  • Still accurate (check against guardrails)"

Interview Preparation

Anticipating Questions

"I might be interviewed about this research:

[Paste Context Readme summary]

Generate likely interview questions from:

  1. A curious general assignment reporter
  2. A health/science beat reporter
  3. A skeptical interviewer
  4. Someone who might misunderstand

For each question, draft my ideal response using soundbites where appropriate."

The Hostile Interview Simulator

When your research might be controversial:

"Simulate a hostile interview about my research:

[Paste Context Readme and any controversial aspects]

Play the role of a challenging interviewer who:

  • Pushes on limitations
  • Asks about conflicts of interest
  • Challenges generalizability
  • Questions methodology
  • Suggests findings are overstated

After each question, I'll respond. Then give me feedback on my answer and ask a follow-up."

Message Discipline Practice

"I want to practice staying on message. My key messages are:

  1. [Key message 1]
  2. [Key message 2]
  3. [Key message 3]

Ask me interview questions on various tangents. After each of my responses, evaluate:

  • Did I incorporate my key messages?
  • Did I bridge back to my main points?
  • Was I responsive to the question while staying on message?"

Handling Difficult Scenarios

When Asked to Speculate

Prepare for: "What do you think this means for [broad topic]?"

"Generate responses for when I'm asked to speculate beyond my data:

My research: [Summary] What I can claim: [From guardrails]

Create response templates for:

  • Declining to speculate gracefully
  • Bridging to what I CAN say
  • Redirecting to available evidence
  • Suggesting who could better answer"

When Findings Might Be Misrepresented

"My research could be misrepresented as [problematic framing].

My actual findings are: [Accurate summary]

Create:

  • A preemptive statement for press release
  • Soundbite correcting the misframing
  • Response if asked directly about the misframing
  • Bridge phrases to redirect to accurate interpretation"

When Asked About Limitations

"Create responses for when journalists ask about limitations:

My limitations: [From guardrails]

Generate responses that:

  • Acknowledge limitations honestly
  • Don't undermine findings unnecessarily
  • Provide appropriate context
  • Pivot to what findings DO support"

The Media Interaction Workflow

Before Pitching

  1. Assess newsworthiness honestly
  2. Identify relevant journalists/outlets
  3. Generate press release
  4. Build soundbite library
  5. Run interview simulations

When Contacted

  1. Ask what their angle is
  2. Review soundbite library
  3. Prepare for specific questions
  4. Set boundaries on scope
  5. Offer to review quotes before publication

After Interview

  1. Send follow-up email with key points
  2. Offer additional resources
  3. Make yourself available for fact-checking
  4. Track coverage when published
  5. Note lessons learned

Risk Management

The Accuracy Principle

Never compromise accuracy for coverage. A misleading story damages your credibility, misleads the public, and harms science communication broadly.

The Review Request

It's appropriate to ask:

When to Decline

Say no to interviews when:

Declining gracefully is better than a bad story.

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