Some recent happenings on the Republican campaign trail teach us important lessons about relating to the media. Actions and statements by Jeb Bush, Ted Cruz and Donald Trump serve as great examples as to how:

* Releasing potentially sensitive information allows you to control the message – when done carefully and deliberately.

* Bad timing can turn the right words into the wrong ones.

* Speaking one’s mind can earn you admiration, derail your career – or both.

Why the Republicans? Trust me – I’m not picking on anyone. In fact, you’ll hear words of both praise and criticism in this week’s episode. They just happen to be the party with 16 candidates (and counting), so they’ve been getting lots of media attention.

Click the ‘Play’ button below to hear more in this episode of MediaSmart!

We’ve all seen television interviews with someone whose clothing or jewelry is so gawdy that you don’t even hear what they’re saying. Instead, you’re busy staring at that super-busy paisley tie or that floral blouse from hell.

Dressing appropriately for a TV interview is all about picking an outfit that will help you come across as both credible and relatable, while minimizing distractions that could hinder your message. What you wear should be both professional and comfortable, while also appropriate for the setting of the interview.

On this episode, we discuss what colors are best to wear – and why black and white don’t make the list – as well as how accessories, eyewear and makeup can either add to or detract from your appearance.

Click the ‘Play’ button below to hear more in this episode of MediaSmart!

Life can’t be fun in FIFA’s PR office these days. The world governing body behind soccer – or as most of the world calls it, football – is the subject of two separate, serious investigations into potential criminal wrongdoing. Amid the allegations came a series of public gaffes by former senior FIFA official Jack Warner and current (outgoing) President Sepp Blatter, including:

* Warner referencing an article from The Onion – a satirical news outlet – as fact.

* Warner capping off a news conference by leading a group song-and-dance session to Bob Marley’s “Every Little Thing Is Gonna Be Alright.”

* Blatter insisting he’ll see FIFA through the storm, only to announce his pending resignation five days later.

Each of these instances can serve as teachable moments for anyone who deals with the media, especially in a crisis situation. We can draw lessons from FIFA’s misfortunes about preparing for an interview, striking the right tone and consistency of message.

Click the ‘Play’ button below to hear more in this episode of MediaSmart!

Off the record. On background. Anonymous source. Under embargo. Often, these terms mean different things to different people – which is why it’s so easy to get burned when you think you’re telling a reporter something “off the record.” You also have to be prepared for the journalist to use such information accidentally – or even intentionally.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s possible to go “off the record” with a reporter you trust and emerge unscathed. But there are many potential pitfalls.

Click the ‘Play’ button below to listen to this edition of MediaSmart, on which we address the notion of going “off the record,” and whether there really is such a thing.

Read more:

* What Does ‘Off the Record’ Really Mean? – PRNewswire.com

* What ‘off the record’ means and how to use it: A cheat sheet – mashable.com

* Why speaking to journalists ‘off the record’ doesn’t guarantee anonymity – The Guardian

* Questions to Ask Before Going ‘Off the Record’ – Poynter.org (considerations from a journalist’s perspective)

Most people know to avoid the phrase “no comment” during a media interview. Doing so usually amounts to an overly curt or abrupt response that suggests the interviewee is hiding something. However, there are other effective ways to say the same thing – without having those two words attributed to you in print.

At an event at Salem State University in Massachusetts last week, New England Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady was asked about the alleged deflation of footballs used in the AFC title game earlier this year. His answer put to use a tried and true three-step PR technique:

* Tell the reporter you can’t answer the question.

* Explain why you can’t answer.

* Bridge to a key message.

On this week’s episode, we examine Tom Brady’s “no comment” and ponder whether it was an effective PR move by the star NFL quarterback.

NOTE: This episode was broadcast live on Meerkat as it was being recorded on Sunday, May 10. As a result, we incorporated instant feedback from viewers.

Read more:

* ESPN.com reports on Brady’s comments (or lack thereof) on the Wells report.

* The New York Daily News criticizes Brady as “smug and defiant.”

* The Huffington Post offers up this remake of Brady’s news conference by Florence Henderson (a.k.a. Carol Brady).

In an interview, a journalist’s chief goal is to obtain information – and some reporters are willing to employ some slick tactics to get what they want. They include:

* Pretending to take your side on an especially divisive issue to entice you into doing the interview – and possibly let your guard down.

* Starting with softball questions, then easing into the tough – or even completely unexpected – questions once you seem to be at ease.

* Putting words in your mouth – by planting words they hope you repeat in your answers.

* Asking the same question over and over in an attempt to elicit a different – or more detailed – answer.

* Using a pregnant pause to bait you into babbling.

Click on the play button below to listen to this week’s episode, on which we discuss the importance of keeping your cool in the face of such tricks, which is the key to staying in control of the interview.

Read more: Check out this article from Matador Network, loaded with tips for journalists on how to employ tactics like “Be a little sneaky” and “Be a little annoying.”

As reporters are human – as are most editors – they’re bound to make mistakes. These could range from the relatively minor glitch to a royal screw-up that amounts to the journalistic equivalent of the Titanic. They might include:

* Messing up your name, title or institution

* Fuzzy math

* Facts presented out of context

* “Facts” that are completely wrong

* An error of omission

* A reporter with an agenda, or preconceived story

Regardless of the error, it’s important to be kind when noting it to the reporter, realizing it was most likely an accident. Believe it or not, most journalists want to get the story right and therefore want to know when they fell short of that goal.

In this week’s episode, we walk through the best ways to approach a reporter about his “oops” – and how you can land a correction without even asking for one.

Read more:

Why you should never ask a journalist for a retraction – Ragan’s PR Daily

The year in media errors and corrections 2014 – Poynter.org

We talked in earlier episodes about earning a journalist’s trust by being a dependable, ethical source of information. But you want to work with reporters whom you can trust, right? After all, trust is a two-way street in the reporter-source relationship.

There have been some glaring examples recently of media behaving badly, and I bet they’ve caused some people to rethink their trust of the media as a whole. Perhaps the most egregious example comes from Rolling Stone, which was forced to apologize and retract an article about an alleged gang rape at a University of Virginia fraternity after major discrepancies surfaced in the article.

Any time such things happen, it’s easy as a potential interviewee to want to shy away from – or even completely shut off – the media. Some people question whether there’s any use in doing an interview if the media are bound to screw up the story.

While skepticism is always healthy – including when working with journalists – you can most certainly trust the right reporters in the right situations. In this week’s episode, we talk about when to trust the media vs. when to trust your skepticism.

Some public relations professionals spend most or all of their time pitching stories to the media – that is, trying to convince reporters to cover their organizations. As a result, some PR people make it seem as though pitching a journalist is like playing with gasoline near a fire, or something that should only be done by a “trained professional” – or at least one with established media relationships.

There’s no denying that those things help. But if you’ve got a pitch and no dough to hire a PR person, there are tactics you can utilize apart from throwing your hands up in despair.

In this week’s episode, we focus on three keys to pitching your story, whether it’s to your local TV station or a national trade publication. Those keys include:

* Demonstrating to a journalist that you understand their outlet and their beat.

* Helping a journalist envision the story in their medium.

* Targeting a limited number of reporters – and avoiding the “spray and pray” approach.

Read more:

How to Become a Media Expert – Business 2 Community

13 ways to get on a journalist’s good side – Ragan’s PR Daily

10 Essential PR Tips for Startups – Mashable

Though it took place well over two decades ago, I’ll never forget the high school musical rehearsal when my friend Tom – the lead – walked into an off-stage bathroom while wearing his wireless microphone. The audio engineer was apparently asleep at the switch, as we all then heard Tom “do his business” loud and clear over the auditorium speakers.

New York real estate tycoon and accused murderer Robert Durst recently found himself in a similar – yet much worse – predicament. During the filming of an HBO documentary, Durst excused himself to the bathroom while still “wired” for the interview. What followed, according to Reuters, was a series of mumblings that sounded an awful lot like an accidental confession. “There it is, you’re caught. What a disaster,” he said, reportedly adding: “What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.”

Durst learned a rather extreme version of a lesson that every broadcaster will tell you: If you’re near a mic or wearing one, assume it’s always on and that someone is recording it.

In this week’s episode, we use Durst’s misstep to illustrate the types of pitfalls that could affect anyone who does a TV or radio interview – or even a speaking engagement – in which a microphone is involved.