Chapter 26 Chapter 24 How to Speak to the Media

News media have the characteristics of fast dissemination of information, wide coverage and high credibility.The most effective way for social organizations to establish a good image for the international public is to use the news media to shape their image. The professional characteristic of the press is to attach importance to the objectivity, timeliness and fairness of news reports, and not to be influenced by other forces.Leaders must respect the profession of journalism.This requires respecting the independence of the status of journalists, and not using the press purely as a tool to promote the organization, inducing or coercing to report news that is beneficial to the organization.Otherwise, it would be tantamount to underestimating the social status of the news media, and as a result, they would not get their cooperation and support.Moreover, the news media emphasizes seeking truth from facts, likes the truth, and opposes falsification. Therefore, when dealing with the press, leaders must be sincere, sincere, and seek truth from facts. The news materials they provide must be authentic and credible, without human factors.Do not block journalists from news, even news that is not good for the Organization.Do not boast when providing news, and ensure the quality and quantity of the press releases you write, and avoid shaming.The questions raised by the news media generally involve major events in social politics, economy, and cultural life.In this situation, it is even more required for leaders to be realistic when speaking, and to say what they say.If it does involve important secrets and cannot be disclosed to the press, it must be expressed in diplomatic terms and without falsification.In order to show off their eloquence, some leaders often speak too much, say some exaggerated words, and exaggerate, not only may inadvertently reveal things that should be confidential, but also give people an unreal feeling and arouse strong resentment from the listeners .

In addition, when interacting with the press, we must also consider the specific situation of the other party and the psychological state of the audience and the audience. They should not be stereotyped, but should be differentiated and analyzed in detail to promote mutual understanding and two-way communication between the two sides.If you don't consider the other party's psychological emotions, simply stand on your side and narrate your point of view, indoctrinate the other party, or even force the other party to accept your point of view, you will not give people the impression of seeking truth from facts, authenticity and credibility.

Premier Zhou Enlai is conscientious, down-to-earth, and devoted to his duties in everything he does. He "feels like walking on thin ice when facing an abyss" towards the party's cause.He is famous for his meticulousness and meticulousness in his work, and he is famous for his meticulous work. In order to get the accuracy of every word, he often has to search from Ciyuan, Cihai and Kangxi Dictionary.In order to ensure the accuracy of the figures on the production, construction and planned projects, he has to check each figure himself.He is also very rigorous and serious in his attitude towards the press.Once, in order to prepare a briefing for a press briefing, he pulled a slide rule to check the numbers one by one. Seeing that the Prime Minister was working too hard, and it was inevitable that he couldn't sleep all day and all night, he persuaded him: "Everyone else counts. After that, you don’t need to forget about the similarities..." Before the secretary finished speaking, the Prime Minister raised his eyelids and frowned and said, "Why do you say similar things? Be more truthful and truth-seeking when dealing with the news media!" Then he buried his head Work.It is this kind of seeking truth from facts that enabled the Prime Minister to always receive the trust and high praise of the media throughout his life.

The U.S. government also attaches great importance to the news media, and strives to play the role of the news media as a "loudspeaker".The U.S. government recognizes that "the power to control information is an important lever for controlling society."The US press believes that "the US president and government are the number one news in the US and the world." Based on this understanding, successive US governments have attached great importance to the relationship with the press. Every morning, the White House office team must decide the main news to be released that day .In addition, Reagan's public relations team produced 30-second to one-minute news content inserted into the evening news of the day every day.What they emphasize is that the report should be true, fair, comprehensive and objective.This is also based on the need for long-term cooperation between the two parties.

The leadership of the organization should treat all news organizations and media equally, no matter where they are located or how high or low they are.When receiving journalists and editors sent by these media organizations for interviews, treat each other with courtesy and equality, so that they can all obtain all kinds of information provided by the organization on an equal footing, and avoid favoritism.For the news organizations and journalists who have criticized the organization, we should ignore previous suspicions, do not create new suspicions, let alone retaliate against journalists and violate the human rights of journalists, but should treat them as warmly as other organizations and journalists, and provide convenience for their news reports , to ensure their normal operation.

Comrade Mao Zedong's attitude towards the news media can be said to be a model in this regard. In 1936, the Red Army had just finished the 25,000-mile Long March. The army needed to rest and reorganize, the work needed to be carried out urgently, the blockade from the outside world needed to be broken, and various rumors needed to be clarified. Fair introduction.Mao Zedong did not shut the door on the American media that had reported negative images of our Red Army and insulted and abused Communist Party members.On the contrary, at the end of autumn of this year, Mao Zedong received the American journalist Snow in Yan'an, allowed him to travel freely in the Soviet area for several months, and had many sincere and in-depth talks with him. As a result, Snow wrote a book "Journey to the West" , not only let this American do propaganda for us, but also subtly convey this message to the outside world: The Chinese Communist Party opposes the US-Chiang reactionaries, but is willing to make friends with the friendly American people.The effect of this propaganda is great.

Qiao Guanhua, an outstanding diplomat and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, has always been praised by the media of various countries for his quick thinking and quick response, and his magnanimity is even more admirable.During his tenure as the head of the Chinese delegation to the United Nations, a local newspaper wanted to interview him, but considering his identity and status, he was worried that he would be rejected, so he first asked for advice through comrades around Qiao Guanhua, and when Comrade Qiao Guanhua Knowing this situation and knowing that although the newspaper is small in scale, it has always been known for its fair and objective reporting, so I immediately invited them to interview, and after the interview, I enthusiastically asked the editor-in-chief to have dinner with me.Later, the editor-in-chief said with emotion: "Mr. Qiao's actions really let us feel the majesty of a great country!" Neither Mao Zedong nor Qiao Guanhua looked at people with colored glasses, but treated the news media equally. In turn, their practices have won them praise and trust from the media, thus greatly promoting the development of their own work.

It is precisely because of the important role of the media that the leader must be able to coordinate and communicate effectively with the media.This requires leaders to actively promote themselves in the media, so that the organization they lead can be more well-known, so as to expand their influence. News media have the characteristics of fast dissemination of information, wide coverage and high credibility.The most effective way for social organizations to establish a good image for the international public is to use the news media to shape their image. Since the emergence of mass media, the traditional leading public relations activities in our country have been further developed.Especially in the modern history of our country, the bourgeois reformers such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao used newspapers and other media to promote political reform activities, which was an outstanding leadership public relations activity in the political field.Objectively speaking, although the bourgeois reformists relied on intellectuals from the upper class, they still had a certain understanding of the power of the public and the importance of public opinion other than intellectuals.For example, Kang Youwei believed that at a time of national peril, "If we can unite 400 million people and everyone is angry, then there is nothing that cannot be done, and the trouble cannot be saved!" Liang Qichao pointed out: "Anyone who wants to do something for the people , If you resist public opinion, it will not be enough to accomplish things." Because of this understanding, Kang, Liang and others used newspapers and other media to carry out vigorous activities to promote political reform in society.Liang and Kang successively organized the Strong Society, the Holy Society, and the National Security Council, and established newspapers such as "Chinese and Foreign Jiwen", "Qiang Xuebao", "Xinzhibao", etc., vigorously publicized the reform, and made the bourgeois reform thought deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, becoming a social fad.Mr. Hu Sheng once pointed out: "The reformers unfurled the banner of national salvation and aroused the patriotic enthusiasm of the masses, thus turning the political reform activities they launched into a mass patriotic movement." In this sense, the bourgeoisie The promotion of political reform carried out by the reformers was a very successful leading public relations activity.Because it "awakened the patriotic enthusiasm of the masses", it also enabled the reformers to establish good public relations with intellectuals and other publics, and to a certain extent improved the public relations between the reformers and other publics.This is in line with the communication activities of modern leadership public relations.

After the founding of New China and before the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Party, although modern leadership public relations has not been established in China, many leaders of the party and the country can use some public relations skills and arts more skillfully. For example: in the mid-1950s, facing the hostility of imperialism and foreign reactionary forces, the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government advocated in international exchanges that the "Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence" should be adhered to in handling international relations, which was endorsed by international public opinion and strived for To receive extensive international sympathy, and gradually establish extensive international friendly relations with various countries.These activities and behaviors are consistent with the public relations of modern leaders who use communication as a means to establish an image by influencing public opinion.

It is precisely because of the diversity and sensitivity of the issues involved when leaders talk to the press, it is even more required that the leaders' language be well proportioned.Especially when it comes to the political field, a careless word may lead to catastrophe. The so-called sense of proportion refers to the language expresser's perception of accurate grasp of emotion and policy scale.The sense of proportion is also an important aspect to measure the political literacy and ideological level of leaders.The sense of propriety requires leaders to have just the right attitude and emotion when talking to the press, neither insufficient nor excessive.The adage that too much is too much should always be kept in mind.

In order to accurately grasp the proportions, it is necessary for the expressers to strengthen their ideological cultivation, enhance their political quality, and improve their policy level. In addition, another requirement for keeping a sense of propriety is reflected in the amount of speaking. This is the truth of the so-called "too many words will lead to mistakes".American public relations experts specifically pointed out that it must be remembered that the work of journalists should be considered first, and personal relationships second.If a reporter is told that a certain news or comment is "off the press" but the reporter still reports it, it does not necessarily mean that the reporter is deliberately trying to antagonize that person, but it may be that the reporter believes that it is better for the public to know than to maintain it. Personal relationships are more important.When the reporter closes his laptop and is about to leave, you have to pay attention, because at this time, many interviewees will let down their guard and say things that seriously damage the image of the organization.So a basic principle is not to say anything like "not allowed to be published in the newspaper".Don't say these things even when the reporters have turned off their tape recorders, put away their cameras and notebooks.Only tell reporters what you think can be published. In contact with the media, whether it is a topical dialogue, answering reporters' questions, or a TV interview, it is inseparable from the response.Response is a difficult and demanding form of eloquence, and it is a sharp weapon for hand-to-hand combat in the social arena.A person who can answer intelligently does not answer whatever is asked, nor does he answer how to ask. He always tries to use the question-and-answer skills and take the initiative to answer well and cleverly. Sometimes, out of ulterior motives, the questioner often sets up a trap in the question, causing embarrassment. At this time, he cannot answer bluntly, but can cleverly avoid it by moving around. At the 48th New York PEN Annual Conference, Chinese writer Lu Wenfu stepped onto the podium to speak eloquently.Suddenly, someone from the audience asked: "Mr. Lu, what do you think of sex literature?" Lu Wenfu cleared his throat calmly and said, "When Western friends accept a box of gifts, they often open it in front of others. The Chinese are just the opposite, they usually wait for the guests to leave before opening the box." Lu did not answer the question directly, but used a humorous and vivid metaphor to illustrate the difference in the way of life between Chinese and Westerners. Works should reflect the views of national characteristics and differences in ethics, which are both implicit and concise.Lu's clever answer won bursts of applause, and the atmosphere of the venue was so warm that it was rare for this year's annual meeting. For some sensitive questions that are inconvenient or unanswerable, you should avoid answering them and refuse them skillfully.For example, in the above article, the former Prime Minister of Myanmar Klee asked why no one else wears badges, but the Prime Minister still wears them?And why did the Prime Minister replace the badge of "serving the people" with the badge of Chairman Mao?The Prime Minister humorously avoided the sharp edge of the other party, and replied: "Mr. Kerry is very interested in Chinese badges. I know you want my badge, and I give it to you." The Prime Minister used the method of changing the proposition here to Big problems were reduced to small ones, and answers to substantive problems were avoided in humorous and friendly jokes without affecting the harmonious communication of the relationship between the two parties. No wonder Nixon wrote in his memoirs: "Zhou Enlai's quickness and wit far surpassed that of any other world leader." Faraday, the master of experimental physics, once performed an experimental performance of electromagnetism in a large audience.Just after the experiment, someone stood up and asked loudly: "What's the use of this?" Faraday looked at the questioner and asked back: "Excuse me, what's the use of a newborn baby?" Scientific ignorance, and Faraday's question instead of answer is an implicit mockery of the questioner's lack of scientific foresight. Sometimes the questioner asks some tricky and weird questions for various reasons. At this time, you should use your creative thinking and jump out of the normal thinking mode. If he asks strange questions, you have to answer them strangely. In 1935, at the doctoral dissertation defense meeting at the University of Paris, the examiner asked a young Chinese student Lu Kanru a strange question: "In the poem "The Peacock Flies Southeast", why didn't it say 'The Peacock Flies Northwest?'" Lu He answered in response: "There are tall buildings in the northwest." Lu Kanru quoted the famous line from the Nineteen Ancient Chinese Poems, "There are tall buildings in the northwest, and the top is as high as the floating clouds."It's really strange to ask, and the answer is also strange, which is hilarious. When answering, due to face or other reasons, when it is inconvenient to speak directly, cleverly use "overtones" to answer euphemistically.The British writer Oscar Wilde was very poor when he was not famous. An aristocrat wanted to hire him as a tutor. When talking about the conditions of food and accommodation, the aristocrat asked him if he would like to have meals with his family. Wilde replied: "It all depends on the meal time." Do you know how to be polite?" Although he didn't give a direct answer, it actually euphemistically expressed Wilde's potential concerns - to see if the noble family respected him. Impromptu intelligent answering requires the respondent to respond quickly, think sharply, make quick judgments on sudden questions, and answer with subtle punchlines in a hurry.One of its characteristics is to answer quickly, and the other is to answer well. In 1972, US President Nixon visited the former Soviet Union.Once, when the plane was about to take off at the airport of the former Soviet Union, one engine suddenly failed to start.At this time, Brezhnev, who was present, was anxious and annoyed. He pointed to the Minister of Civil Aviation and asked Nixon: "How should I punish him?" Nixon replied: "Promote him. Because it is better to have a failure on the ground than in the air." Nixon's impromptu quiz was profound and funny, surpassing Brezhnev in terms of "point of view", and saved face for the host.