It's like every door shuts in your face. INQUEST gives people a little bit of hope. It gives you something to hold on to. If that information is out there for people it will make a difference psychologically. – Family member
Large campaign groups and lobbying organisations spend a lot of money employing people to take care of their media strategy and public relations. This is how they develop a big enough public profile to feature regularly on radio and TV.
This is not an option for family campaigns, and it is very difficult to force your way onto the national media. However, local radio and TV might view your campaign differently. Local stories have local interest and it is worth trying to contact your local stations. There will also be greater interest at significant times in the case, for example during and after the inquest, during and after any subsequent investigations and inquiries, or if local community groups, trade unions, faith groups etc are involved in your campaign. Stories involving state agents like the police, prison services, hospitals, etc are newsworthy because of the issue of accountability and justice. As a bereaved person there is also the ‘human interest’ that your story can bring.
Contact local press in the same way you would the newspapers. You may find your first radio or TV interview to be nerve-wracking, especially if the interview is live rather than pre-recorded. But, as with public speaking or attending meetings (Section 1: Dealing with new situations) practice and preparation will make you more effective and less nervous. Find out beforehand:
- How long the interview will be
- Whether it will be live or a pre-record
- If anyone else is to be interviewed with you
- What questions the interviewer plans to ask
- Where the interview is to take place so you won’t be late
As a general rule, radio and TV interviews are much the same, so you can prepare for them in a similar way. Try and go through the following steps before and during your interview to help you prepare:
- Try and stick to three key points – any more than that and it becomes difficult to remember
- Prepare for the most likely questions, including the worst or most challenging you might be asked, and come up with some answers
- Be sure of your facts, (see Section 1: Organisational Skills: Dealing with important information and facts) but don’t be afraid to say how you really feel about the issue
- Keep things simple, stick with what you know
- Try and link the issues to other cases or campaigns if you can
- If you are attending TV interviews dress comfortably, because studios can be hot with lights etc
