Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Handling the paparazzi

Being a Journalist, I have always thought of how to derive out more information from my sources and what strategies to employ to make my news and write up more engaging, source oriented and interesting.  But it is even more interesting to note the kind of strategies an individual employs while handling media. It becomes even more a subjective concern when it comes to handling paparazzi. The extent of homework a media worker does is definitely lesser than the homework done by the source of information himself. Because facing and handling media is actually a difficult and strategic concept. It is sometimes very difficult to know what information a journalist is looking for so ideally it is very important to consider some serious concerns before being ‘public’. Facing the media is an art and it becomes even more engrossed only when you learn an employable strategy and earn a real good time‘s experience.  It is always considerable to address some very important questions before going public.
Know the Media’s purpose:  Covering any individual or any celebrity by media is never void of any purpose. One thing is for sure, a journalist always looks out for news. All that he wants is to fill in the space he is responsible to fill. So to handle media effectively, always try to know the purpose of their being behind you. See for what they are willing to cover you. Is the purpose is limited to get a good story at any cost or never mind the truth? Are they really professional or some factors influences or motivates them?  Try to find out what counts as news for them. It is very important to look for new information you can pass on to them because a journalist would always look for something new.
Know their mindset:  It is always advisable to think with the mindset a journalist would try to cover you. Try to gauge their mood and look for an answer as why they are so suspicious. People in the limelight usually worries of as how to present themselves in the most positive light and in the process they become more conscious about their real self thereby giving false notions and irrelevant suspicions to cook false stories.  So it is highly important to comprehend the kind of mindset and eye they keep on you.  Journalists always try to picture a biased view on screen. And mostly they try to give an entertaining angel to their story for the active engagement of the audience. So before getting recorded, know what they are actually looking for.

Handling paparazzi should be an strategic activity. It should be planned well in advance. Make sure that the information is passed on and the ball is still in your court. 

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