When you stay cool, you show a willingness to cooperate with reporters and convey an impression of candor.

News is the unusual, controversial, the new. If the airplane lands, it’s not news. News is local and topical. That’s what readers/viewers/listeners want to know about. News tells a story. Every good story needs controversy. Think good vs. evil. You want to be the good guy. Research indicates that readers/viewers/listeners prefer to consume “bad news” over “good news” by a 7 to 1 margin. News is a business as well as public service. The news media would not exist without adver