By Deanna Meinke

This article is a part of the November/December 2017, Volume 29, Number 6, Audiology Today issue.

“Hello, my name is Lois Lane and I’m from the Daily Planet News. We are running a story about hearing loss in superheroes and I would like to interview you. Please return my call as soon as possible.” 

You listen to the voice mail message, thrilled that the newspaper has contacted you with an opportunity to promote audiology and hearing health care, yet it has been some time since you reviewed the literature relative to kryptonite ototoxicity and barotraumas. What can an audiologist do to assure a successful interview?

Return the Call Promptly

Journalists work under tight deadlines, often minutes rather than hours, and appreciate a contact that responds in a timely manner. Courtesy will go far in developing a relationship with media representatives, especially in the long term. Often you are able to schedule the interview with some advance notice and if the reporter will give you some indication of the questions they are interested in, you may have time to adequately prepare.

Clarify the Topic and the Context

Ideally this is done prior to consenting to an interview. It is certainly appropriate to consider the issue(s) and get back to the reporter if there is any doubt about immediate participation. In some cases, a reporter is inquiring about a broad issue, such as “hearing loss,” another time it may be a specific type of hearing loss or it may be to get the local story spun off of a topic getting national media attention. The recent flurry of articles regarding iPods and noise-induced hearing loss is a good example of this. An Associated Press (AP) reporter covered the broad-spectrum information about the music-induced hearing loss issue from experts in the field, whereas a local reporter focused on community information with local personalities and experiences. Across the country, audiologists in many cities and towns were contacted by local media to discuss the issue.

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