I thought this was a really interesting insight into how a media call goes.
Most people talk a big game about press releases and media relations but the conversation outlined below is the reality.
I'm a big fan of Kim Knight; she is an experienced and talented writer for Sunday Star Times.
Check out the convo. This could be you. Even the most experienced players get caught up.
STAY ON MESSAGE>!
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WHEN the Sunday Star-Times phoned last week, the one-time Breakfast presenter's "no comment" ran almost five minutes. On the same day his former TVNZ boss Rick Ellis went to Government House to make a personal apology about Henry's comments on the governor-general's ethnicity, this is the conversation Henry had when he wasn't having a conversation.
SST: Is there any chance that we could have a catch-up?
PH: Look, I really haven't got anything to say to be honest. I've made the decision that, unlike Chris Carter, I will go quietly.
SST: So there's no book?
PH: No, there's no book.
SST: One of the reasons I specifically wanted to call was that last year when we did that interview you intimated that you supported a few charities and things that people might have been surprised about. I just wondered if now was the time to show another side of you.
PH: You know, it might be, but I'm not really interested in it. I'm happy that I do it myself without other people knowing.
SST: Right.
PH: I think I'll just sort of shuffle off quietly.
SST: The other thing is in that interview when we actually discussed whether or not you were racist, you made the statement that everybody is a racist to one degree or another.
PH: Mmm.
SST: And obviously I've got all those notes still on file. I just wanted to give you the opportunity to elaborate on that.
PH: No, cos see, like I say, I don't want to say anything. I think there's been a huge amount of publicity and it's just time to let it go.
SST: Will be there be a women's magazine story?
PH: I certainly haven't got one planned at the moment.
SST: Have they approached you?
PH: Yes.
SST: How much are they offering?
PH: They haven't spoken. Well, that's not entirely true, two of them have spoken to me, not spoken to me, left messages, and one of them has suggested an amount of money.
SST: Is it a lot?
PH: Umm. Not to me.
SST: Is it enough?
PH: Is that a good answer?
SST: How much? How much?
PH: No, I can't tell you how much.
SST: Right. Are you considering those?
PH: No, I'm not considering, like I say, at the moment I'm not considering anything. If I were to do anything at all, it would be one thing only and that certainly isn't no
SST: Right. Would you consider doing that one thing only with us [the Sunday Star-Times], down the track?
PH: Yeah, I could possibly consider that, yeah.
SST: How do we need to make that approach in a formal ...
PH: Why don't you make an approach in a couple of weeks. I'm definitely not considering doing anything at all for the next few weeks.
SST: I'm sure other people have offered you this as well, but if you wanted to write something, that's another opportunity that we could offer you.
PH: From my point of view, I have no interest in getting even or setting scores straight or anything like that. I just think from the point of view of the phenomenal response. I mean, I'm very hard to humble, quite frankly – but it has been damn near a humbling response. I cannot believe the literally tens upon tens of thousands of people who have actually taken the trouble to, one way or the other, have gone to the effort to either write, or join a Facebook group, not that that's much trouble, or something like that, so it's actually because of those people that I just, in the back of my mind, think maybe, just before I disappear forever, I could say something. But, like I say, that time isn't now.
SST: "Just before I disappear forever" – do you think we're not going to see you ever again? I mean we just heard this morning that Tony Veitch has got his job back (as Radio Sport breakfast host).
PH: Yeah, yeah, he might need a job more than me. Look, you never say never. All I can tell you is how I'm feeling right at the moment and I can't imagine I'll be doing anything again in the public eye but, like I say, that's, just, I can't imagine it.
SST: What is the job that you deep down want to do?
PH: This isn't an interview now, is it?
SST: Well, I'm taking notes, but I am curious given money is no object ...
PH: It's important to me that I don't, I don't want to say anything now, I don't want this to turn into an interview.
SST: Well, we didn't say we were off the record.
PH: In which case there's absolutely no chance that you would get the interview (laughs).
SST: So aren't you happy for me to quote...
PH: Clearly this is an interview now so I'm going to have to end it because I don't want to give an interview.
SST: Well, let's just go back over what you've said. You haven't ...
PH: No, I don't want to give an interview and I made that quite clear at the beginning.
SST: Nooo.
PH: So, well, we'll just leave it there, OK?
