The interview begins the moment you utter your first word, so make sure that everything you say - from "hello" to "good-bye" - follows your agenda.

Maintain eye contact with the reporter when answering a question. For TV interviews, maintain constant eye contact with the reporter from the moment the video camera starts rolling.

When replying to a question, always deal first with what the reporter asked. If you sidestep the question by ignoring or deflecting it, you will appear evasive and untrustworthy.

Once you've given the specific information requested by the reporter, amplify your answer with a relevant key message. This will place the information in a meaningful context, making your answer more newsworthy and you more credible.

Keep each answer within 5 to 15 seconds - which is the normal length of radio and TV sound bites and newspaper quotes - and thereby minimize the likelihood that your answer will be distorted or taken out of context.

Avoid jargon - but if you must use it, explain it.

Keep cool and remain respectful and polite, even in the face of extreme provocation by the reporter. Adopting an indignant manner or chastising a discourteous reporter will give the story an unhealthy dose of controversy - at your expense.