Coutts Woman

Hitting the headlines

It was forty years ago that the cult artist Andy Warhol predicted everybody would be famous for fifteen minutes, but even he did not foresee the exponential growth in news outlets and the media’s apparently insatiable appetite for personality driven stories.

Trudi Styler, wife of Sting, probably did not expect to become front-page news after firing the couple’s personal chef, while Beverley Charman, the former wife of an insurance tycoon, is unlikely to have expected any press attention on her divorce after 29 years of marriage. However, when the settlement was unveiled at a record £48m divorce settlement, it became headline news.

“In a hotly contested divorce case… nobody comes out looking dignified if they engage in a battle of words in the press.”

Yet while celebrities usually have an entourage of media savvy aides to handle the press, Mr and Mrs Joe Public can find both the attention and antics of journalists exceptionally frightening. So when the paparazzi camp on the lawn and the hacks are knocking on the door, what is the best line of defence?

The first point to remember is that you are under no obligation to respond. But if you decide to then, depending on the circumstances, there are several ways to proceed. Michael Prescott, the former political editor at the Sunday Times, and now head of corporate communications at Weber Shandwick, recommends a period of ‘thinking time’ before talking to a journalist. If they are on the phone, offer to call back. If they are on the doorstep, invite them to return after a certain period.

‘There might be something that you would like to say and the benefit of thinking time is that it allows you to gather your thoughts,’ he explains. ‘Go to a friend before you go back to the journalist and bounce your thoughts off them. It might have seemed like a nice idea, but your friend might have a different view and point out some problems.’

Prescott says it is also imperative to fulfil promises. ‘Don’t forget to call back even if you have decided to say nothing,’ he says. ‘And never ever lie because the truth will out. If you decide to talk, remember you don’t need to spill your guts. Just be straight.’

Warwick Partington, director of Media Training Masterclasses, agrees with the merits of ‘thinking time’, but he believes that finally saying ‘no comment’ is not an option.

Partington says: ‘If you are really stuck, it is far better to say ‘At this point I am not in a position to make a statement, but hope to do so at the earliest opportunity’ than ‘no comment’.’

He recommends practicing lines in front of a mirror. ‘The audience remembers what you look like far more than what you say or sound like,’ says Partington.

But there will be circumstances when it is unwise to try to handle the press without professional advice. If there is a killer question that you would rather not be asked, then it is impractical to try to deal with the press on your own because, rest assured, that is likely to be the very first question posed.

PR consultant Andrew Walton recommends that, in these circumstances, it is important to hire a good lawyer. ‘You need a lawyer who knows the newspapers’ legal departments rather than the journalists. They can manage issues of privacy and set parameters on what is allowed and what is not allowed,’ he says.

‘They are good at holding your hand but they also will have an infrastructure in place to assist you, such as a PR minder or even a real minder.’

It is also a good idea to have a bolthole, somewhere secret to escape to. ‘Newspapers have an unbelievable ability to track people down,’ says Walton. ‘It is wise not to book airline tickets or use mobile phones as these can be used to track you down.’

A remote cottage is a good escape plan, but it may be wise not to tell any friends or extended family members where it is. They may also be ill equipped to handle a media frenzy and, under attack, could blurt out the location.

Ian Haworth, a consultant at Redleaf PR and the former press officer for Granada Television, responsible for the stars of Coronation Street, adds: ‘It is always best to take professional advice. They can become a barrier between you and the press. When you are under attack, emotions always take over and you can be absolutely sure that something you say without thinking will be taken out of context, and extend the story for perhaps another five days.’

He also recommends reading all media coverage. ‘If there are untrue things, then it is possible to take legal action. It may also be possible to deal with gossip, rumours and innuendo. It may be hurtful but try to remember that any friend worth their salt will ignore the tittle-tattle.’

But the most valuable advice, according to Haworth, is to maintain a dignified position at all times. ‘It is nigh on impossible to keep stories out of the press,’ he explains. ‘But don’t be tempted to tell your side without careful preparation. In a hotly contested divorce case, for example, nobody comes out looking dignified if they engage in a battle of words in the press.’