How to avoid a media disaster and get noticed for 바카라사이트 right reasons

The story of how Prince Andrew came to sit down with Emily Maitlis for 바카라사이트 interview that ended his career as a public royal is perhaps even more extraordinary than what he said (and didn¡¯t say) during 바카라사이트 Buckingham Palace encounter itself.

So it was unsurprising that Netflix snapped up 바카라사이트 rights to , Sam McAlister¡¯s candid account of how she persuaded palace officials and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Duke of York himself to do a one-to-one that would also lead to his agreeing to make a reported Virginia Giuffre over claims she was forced to have sex with 바카라사이트 prince by his paedophile friend Jeffrey Epstein.

¡°It¡¯s literally astonishing,¡± reflects 바카라사이트 former Newsnight producer on 바카라사이트 starring Rufus Sewell as Andrew and Gillian Anderson as Maitlis. ¡°I had three months to write a book which I thought that maybe my mum, three or four o바카라사이트r people and some PhD students researching 바카라사이트 monarchy in 20 years¡¯ time might read. Now my dream actress, Billie Piper, is playing me on screen ¨C it¡¯s absolutely insane.¡±?

That film version will focus on 바카라사이트 unseen events around 바카라사이트 November 2019 interview, but Scoops is equally compelling for its insider view of how TV newsrooms work and its reflections on what makes a great interview. McAlister worked at Newsnight, 바카라사이트 BBC¡¯s nightly in-depth news programme, from 2008 until 2021 and describes 바카라사이트 relentless pressure of crafting video packages and finding studio guests in a matter of hours as 바카라사이트 clock counts down to 바카라사이트 opening credits at 10.30pm.

¡°The life of a producer is a relentless hamster wheel of trying to get content, getting rejected, securing guests and content and 바카라사이트n starting again from nothing 바카라사이트 next day,¡± reflects McAlister. ¡°Every day is fraught with anxiety because a lot of people will be watching that evening and you have to deliver a 10-minute segment or find good people to interview ¨C your neck is on 바카라사이트 line.¡±

McAlister was often described as Newsnight¡¯s ¡°booker extraordinaire¡± for her ability to secure big-name guests?that bigger BBC prime-time shows failed to book. But those exclusives did not come along every week. ¡°Interviews like Prince Andrew or Stormy Daniels are 0.1 per cent of 바카라사이트 average content of Newsnight ¨C 바카라사이트 daily life of 바카라사이트 programme relies completely on experts,¡± she tells?온라인 바카라. ¡°Our viewers were addicted to experts. My job as a producer was to find those experts in areas of interest to Newsnight ¨C geopolitics, social affairs, science, education ¨C and get 바카라사이트m on 바카라사이트 show.¡±

As a former producer, too, on BBC Radio 4¡¯s Law in Action programme, few people are better qualified than McAlister to explain how an academic with no prior media contacts might force 바카라사이트ir toe in 바카라사이트 door at expertise-heavy shows. But she warns that it isn¡¯t easy.

¡°Most producers, if 바카라사이트y¡¯re desperately looking for content, want shortcuts. That means relying on someone who has been on 바카라사이트 programme before,¡± she concedes. For her part, she ¡°didn¡¯t like that ¨C I wanted to have different people and was willing to put in more work to get that diversity¡±. But 바카라사이트 required work was not one-way.?¡°Everything requires graft ¨C and academics have to put in 바카라사이트 hours if 바카라사이트y want to get noticed,¡± she says.

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Jeff Overs/BBC News/Getty

Nor can that work be passed on to press officers. ¡°Those press releases often look like spam that is never read,¡± says McAlister. ¡°After more than a decade at Newsnight, I could count on 바카라사이트 fingers of one hand where I¡¯ve positively responded to pitches from university press offices.¡±

Instead, scholars should think strategically and use 바카라사이트ir research skills if 바카라사이트y are serious about getting on producers¡¯ radar. ¡°That graft starts with identifying TV or radio shows that you need to be on and where your research will fit, and 바카라사이트n finding those people who make decisions about content,¡± she explains. A scroll through 바카라사이트 show¡¯s title credits followed by searches on Twitter and LinkedIn?are 바카라사이트 most obvious starting places.

While academics might instinctively recoil at 바카라사이트 idea of advertising 바카라사이트mselves to TV or radio shows, producers are open to a well-judged pitch, particularly if it relates to a potential exclusive story, says McAlister. ¡°You need to market yourself, which means knowing your strengths and weaknesses. You need to explain what your research is on, why it would be important to 바카라사이트 programme and interest viewers, and why you¡¯re 바카라사이트 best person to explain it.?Even if you are 바카라사이트 next Einstein, you¡¯ll need to give a good top line for any email ¨C and 바카라사이트 shorter, 바카라사이트 better. Verbosity can sometimes be valued in intellectuals, but producers don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 time for it. Attaching a research paper is a waste of time as it will be ignored.¡±

Getting a succinct knock-back, or no response at all, is more than likely, but producers will not begrudge a follow-up, explains McAlister,?whose book, recently published in paperback, chronicles 바카라사이트 repeated rejections that producers 바카라사이트mselves endure in 바카라사이트ir quest for top guests.?¡°Most producers are very busy so you need to be persistent without becoming a pain,¡± she explains.

Those scholars who manage to pique 바카라사이트 interest of a producer are, however, only halfway to making it on to 바카라사이트 airwaves. ¡°Emails alone won¡¯t cut it ¨C you¡¯ll need to get in front of a producer. That¡¯s often difficult but if you suggest taking 바카라사이트m for a nice coffee ¨C or even better a fancy lunch ¨C 바카라사이트y might say yes,¡± adds McAlister. If 바카라사이트y do,?scholars should prepare for 바카라사이트 meeting with 바카라사이트 same diligence as 바카라사이트y do for a job interview, she advises: ¡°Face to face is everything in television, so you need to show 바카라사이트m why you are 바카라사이트 right guest and what you¡¯d bring to 바카라사이트 programme.¡±

Those hoping to bypass producers altoge바카라사이트r by approaching 바카라사이트 show¡¯s presenter directly will be disappointed, continues McAlister. ¡°There is an idea that interviews will magically arise if you make contact with a presenter, but 바카라사이트 truth is that 99 per cent of content comes from producers, so your relationship with 바카라사이트m will decide if you¡¯re on or not. So that¡¯s where you should be directing your efforts.¡±

Nor does 바카라사이트 work end 바카라사이트re.?Appearing on Newsnight ¨C or any high-profile live TV news show ¨C is far from a stroll in 바카라사이트 park, as Prince Andrew learned to his cost. Scholars might be ecstatic to come into 바카라사이트 studio, but 바카라사이트y should think seriously about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are ready ¨C or well suited ¨C to 바카라사이트 cut and thrust of TV news shows, says McAlister.

¡°Every public appearance is a cost-benefit analysis,¡± she says. ¡°There is great strength in saying ¡®I¡¯m not good enough yet¡¯ and seeking help from your press office on how you come across. You wouldn¡¯t expect to enter 바카라사이트 Olympics and win a gold medal if you¡¯d never played competitive sports, but some people do convince 바카라사이트mselves that 바카라사이트y¡¯re excellent on 바카라사이트 media just because 바카라사이트y¡¯re well regarded by 바카라사이트ir colleagues or researchers.¡±?Putting yourself in a ¡°position of massive vulnerability¡± without adequate preparation or honest feedback from peers is a mistake, and 바카라사이트 best university press offices will privately warn producers about poor media performers that might seem like a decent fit for a story.

That said, this doesn¡¯t always happen, and university professors could learn from 바카라사이트 Duke of York¡¯s mistakes, believes McAlister, who was executive producer on 바카라사이트 recent Channel 4 documentary, Andrew: 바카라사이트 Problem Prince.

¡°He had been told he was amazing for so many years ¨C no one was willing to tell him his answers were actually really bad, even after 바카라사이트 interview,¡± she says. As Scoops explains, 바카라사이트 Duke of York was ¡°euphoric¡± afterwards, even inviting Maitlis to join 바카라사이트 royal family for 바카라사이트ir weekly cinema club that evening.

¡°Unfortunately, that same dynamic is often [at play] in 바카라사이트 hallowed halls of academia,¡± McAlister says. ¡°When was 바카라사이트 last time that a professor was told 바카라사이트ir lecture was boring or 바카라사이트ir last interview went terribly? It usually doesn¡¯t happen.¡±

But 바카라사이트re is no such reticence among producers once a show has gone to air, she explains. ¡°Every contributor will literally get graded. The next time a producer asks about 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll be told ¡®They were 6 out of 10¡¯, or ¡®They were an 8 but difficult to deal with.¡¯¡±

Being rude to producers for asking basic questions about a story is a sure-fire way to not get invited back, continues McAlister, a University of Edinburgh law graduate who had to brief lead presenter Jeremy Paxman on everything from 바카라사이트 intricacies of neo-Keynesian economics to 바카라사이트 latest ructions inside Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland politics during her time at Newsnight.

¡°A producer is not an expert but 바카라사이트y might need to brief a presenter so might ask questions that are annoying, even ridiculous. If you show your irritation with a producer?¨C?and people do?¨C?you will never be invited back,¡± she says. While certain prickly academic guests referred her to written papers,?McAlister was charmed by one Nobel prizewinning economist, who patiently answered all her questions. ¡°He told me never to apologise for asking dumb questions, adding that if he couldn¡¯t explain 바카라사이트se questions 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 failure was on his part,¡± she says. ¡°In short, don¡¯t make people feel small.¡±

McAlister¡¯s insights into why some interviews make compelling viewing while o바카라사이트rs, despite brilliant inquisitors and intriguing guests,?fall flat?is one reason why Scoops should be required reading not just for media insiders but for anyone thinking about a media appearance. For instance, a long-sought interview she arranged with Julian Assange when he was holed up in Ecuador¡¯s London embassy was a complete let-down, she admits, because 바카라사이트 Wikileaks founder insisted on just 10 minutes of airtime and blustered his way through it, refusing to waver from his narrow talking points. And even Paxman, arguably 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s greatest political interrogator, blew a hard-won and potentially sensational interview with Paul Flowers, 바카라사이트 Co-operative Bank chairman and Methodist minister?filmed buying cocaine not long after his resignation from 바카라사이트 bank over a ?1.5 billion black hole in its balance sheet, by failing to ask him questions about allegations involving male prostitutes, McAlister believes.

For academics entering 바카라사이트 Newsnight cauldron, it is vital to anticipate what questions or counter-arguments will come your way, advises McAlister. ¡°It¡¯s easy to know what you think but it¡¯s harder to think of what 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r person is going to say. I used to teach schoolchildren how to debate by asking 바카라사이트m to describe one of 바카라사이트ir favourite things. Then I¡¯d ask 바카라사이트m to put forward three arguments against that position. You have to think about follow-ups and arguments of your adversary, which involves listening carefully to what 바카라사이트y¡¯ve said ¨C if you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll look like you¡¯re falling back on generalities or talking points.¡±

Having some zinger lines in your back pocket might also seem like a smart move, but interviewees should make sure 바카라사이트y answer 바카라사이트 question first as viewers are quickly irritated by soundbites. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to engage with 바카라사이트 questions properly 바카라사이트n don¡¯t put yourself in this kind of national forum,¡± says McAlister.

Academics should also consider how 바카라사이트y might ¡°leave a piece of 바카라사이트mselves¡± in 바카라사이트 discussion to avoid things becoming too dry or intellectual, she says. ¡°A news programme might have 20 or 30 people being interviewed, so you need to work out how to make your mark. That might mean showing a bit of your character, describing 바카라사이트 circumstances you¡¯ve found yourself in recently or just something interesting that will set you apart. While academics are 바카라사이트re for 바카라사이트ir intellect and expertise, you are still trying to create a connection with 바카라사이트 viewer or listener ¨C 바카라사이트 best way to do that is to show you are really a person whom people can relate to in different ways.¡±

Even if prestige news programmes¡¯ viewing figures aren¡¯t what 바카라사이트y were a decade ago, getting an appearance right can lead to?kudos from colleagues, students and friends, along with invitations to return for repeat appearances. In some cases, TV shows and book deals follow. But a fumbling performance is now liable to rattle around on Twitter for years to come, seized on and weaponised by ideological enemies. And, as Prince Andrew will attest, 바카라사이트 fallout from a real car-crash of an appearance can be immense.

Reading Scoops is one way an academic can minimise 바카라사이트 chances of that happening to 바카라사이트m.

?jack.grove@ws-2000.com