Why Weren’t My Comments Included in the News Story?

Has this happened to you?

It’s frustrating to speak with a reporter for twenty minutes or more only to see the final story and realize your comments weren’t included. But why does this happen? 

There are at least five possible reasons your comments weren’t included in a news story.

You took too long to get to the point.

Remember, when you speak with a reporter, they are likely working on multiple stories at once. There are a lot of things competing for their time and attention. You therefore need to get to the point as quickly as possible. Try to make an overarching point that answers their question and then use examples to reinforce what you are saying and why it matters.

Additionally, think about the soundbites you’ll use to make your point. Most importantly, remember that if you ramble, you risk losing the reporter’s interest. Once this happens, there is no guarantee you’ll be able to recapture their attention or salvage the discussion.

The reporter had space constraints.

Reporters have word counts and space constraints. Because the attention span of readers is shorter and shorter, journalists must come up with ways to succinctly make their point. They may also speak with multiple sources and in the end, are only able to include one or two of those sources. When this happens, some sources will be omitted from the final story.

The editor omits your remarks.

There have been many situations when a source has spoken to a reporter, the source’s comments were included, and then the editor omits those remarks. The editor may be concerned about space constraints, the remarks not aligning with the story or some other issue. The journalist may not agree with the cuts, but they are bound by their editor’s preference.

You used jargon.

The great danger of jargon is that only people in your circle know what you’re saying. The big trick for spokespersons and advocacy organizations is to speak in plain language so that people not connected with the work can quickly understand what you are saying.

When we use jargon, we run the risk of the journalist not understanding or being unable to connect with what we are saying. If this happens, your comments will not be included in the story.

The reporter had an angle for the story and your comments didn’t align with that angle.

Sometimes reporters and their editors are clear on what they want to convey. They may have a theory and are looking for sources to substantiate that theory. If what you say doesn’t align with what they believe or the story they’re trying to tell, your comments are not going to be included.

Prior to doing an interview, I recommend you set an intention for the interview. Determine what you want to accomplish. How will you ensure you accomplish your goal? Your intention should guide what you say, the examples you offer, and how you show up for the interview.

Also be mindful that not everyone has your background, expertise or passion for the issue for which you are speaking. Approach the conversation with the goal of enlightening the person on the other end. Then think about how to communicate in a way that increases the likelihood that you will be heard.

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Jennifer R. Farmer is the principal of Spotlight PR LLC.  Check out our blog posts and subscribe for regular communications updates.