It didn't take long to learn that the interview lasts until the reporter has the sound bites they want for their story. I was given a good lesson by a young reporter after a fair and balanced interview. I thanked her for her fairness and professionalism. She replied you are an easy well-informed interview. However, she said if I can be so bold as a young person, I would remind you that for almost all the reporters the story is everything. They only want statements that support their story.

From then on, I simply gave answers without regard to how it might be misused because that was a given. I quickly learned that this worked for me and against the media. If someone asked me if I made a particular statement selected by the reporter I only had to say it was taken out of context to receive an understanding nod.