When I worked at Newshub, one of the things I did most often was pick up the phone and call people who weren't expecting to hear from me. Sometimes it was a quick comment for a story I was filing that afternoon, sometimes it was something more sensitive, and occasionally it was the kind of call where I could hear the person on the other end quietly panicking. I learned a lot about what separates the people who handle those calls well from the ones who don't, and most of it comes down to a few simple things you can prepare for right now, before the phone ever rings.
Most of the advice out there about media interviews assumes you've had time to prepare, that you've pitched the story yourself, booked the interview, and had a strategy session beforehand. But reactive media enquiries, where a journalist reaches out to you unprompted, are a completely different situation. They catch you off guard, they often come with a deadline attached, and they can be about anything from a positive feature opportunity to a crisis you didn't know was brewing. According to Muck Rack's 2026 State of Journalism report, 86% of journalists say PR pitches inspire at least some of their stories, but a significant portion of media coverage still comes from journalists doing their own research and reaching out directly to the people they want to talk to.
Why do journalists call out of the blue?
There are a handful of common reasons a journalist might contact you without warning, and understanding them helps you respond appropriately. They might be writing a trend piece about your industry and want a founder's perspective. They might have seen your name in a previous story and think you'd be a good commentator on something happening right now. They could be investigating a competitor or a sector-wide issue and want your take. Or, less comfortably, they might be looking into something involving your business directly, and they're giving you a chance to comment before publication.
The important thing to understand is that in almost all of these scenarios, the journalist contacting you is actually an opportunity. Even the uncomfortable ones. A journalist reaching out means they consider you relevant and credible enough to include in their story, and how you handle the next few minutes can shape whether that story works for you or against you.
What should you do in the first 30 seconds?
The single most important thing is this: don't feel obligated to answer questions immediately. You are allowed to say, "Thanks for calling, can I ask what the story is about and when your deadline is? I'd love to help but let me call you back in twenty minutes so I can give you something useful." That sentence, or something close to it, is worth memorising. It buys you time without closing the door, and it tells the journalist you're professional and willing to engage.
When I was at ThreeNews, the sources I trusted most were the ones who took a breath, asked smart questions, and called me back when they said they would. The ones who panicked and blurted out something they regretted, or the ones who said "no comment" and hung up... those were the ones who ended up looking worse in the story. "No comment" reads as evasive to an audience, and most journalists will include it in their piece precisely because it looks like you're hiding something.
What questions should you ask before you say anything?
Before you answer a single substantive question, you need some information from the journalist. Think of it as your own mini-interview of them. Ask what outlet they're working for, what the story is about in broad terms, what angle they're taking, who else they're talking to, and when their deadline is. You don't need to be aggressive about it, a simple "Just so I can be as helpful as possible, can you tell me a bit more about the piece?" works perfectly.
The deadline question is the most important one. If they need a comment in the next hour, your approach will be very different from a feature story running next week. Knowing the timeline gives you control over how you prepare. At Payper, when our clients get an unexpected media enquiry, the first thing we do is establish the deadline and work backwards from there. Sometimes there's time for a full briefing call and a review of key messages, sometimes we're drafting three talking points while someone is walking to a studio. The approach changes, but the principle doesn't: understand the terrain before you start talking.
How do you prepare your key messages quickly?
Once you know what the story is about and how much time you have, the next step is to work out your two or three key points. Not ten, not a comprehensive company overview, just two or three things you want the audience to take away if they hear your quote or see your name in the piece.
A useful framework when time is short: What's the one thing I want to say? What's the proof point that backs it up? And what's the human detail that makes it memorable? If you can answer those three questions before you call the journalist back, you'll sound composed, quotable, and confident. Journalists are drawn to people who can express a clear idea with a specific example attached, because that's exactly what makes good copy. If you know the interview is coming and have more time to prepare, our guide to preparing for a media interview covers the full process, but when time is short, two or three clear points are all you need.
If the topic is sensitive or you're genuinely unsure how to handle it, that's when you should loop in your PR support. Payper clients have our team on speed dial for exactly this kind of moment, and even a five-minute call with someone who understands how newsrooms work can completely change the outcome. If you don't have a PR agency, talk to someone you trust in your business before you call back. A second perspective, even a quick one, catches blind spots you'd miss under pressure.
When should you say yes to the interview?
Most of the time, you should say yes. Reactive media enquiries are one of the most valuable forms of earned media because the journalist has already decided you're worth including. They've done the work of identifying you as a credible voice, which is the hardest part of PR. Saying yes to a well-matched opportunity, even when the timing isn't ideal, builds your profile as a reliable source and makes it more likely that same journalist will come back to you next time.
This is something we see consistently with our clients at Payper. The ones who are responsive and available, even when the timing isn't perfect, tend to build a compounding advantage over time. When we worked with Evnex, their willingness to make a spokesperson available quickly, even for stories they hadn't initiated, meant they became one of the go-to voices for EV commentary in New Zealand media. That kind of positioning doesn't happen through pitching alone, it happens when you show up reliably for journalists who need you.
When is it better to say no?
There are times when the right answer is to decline, and doing it well is just as important as saying yes. If the story is outside your area of expertise, if you have a genuine conflict of interest, if the angle feels hostile and your participation would only give them ammunition, or if you simply can't meet the deadline, it's better to say so honestly than to stumble through an interview you're not prepared for.
What matters is how you decline. "I'm not the right person for this, but I can suggest someone who might be" is generous and professional. "I can't make your deadline today, but I'm happy to help if you're doing something similar in the future" keeps the door open. Both of those responses leave the journalist with a positive impression of you, which matters more than any single story. Journalists keep mental lists of who's helpful and who's difficult, and being on the right list pays dividends for years.
What happens after the call?
Once the interview is done, follow up with a short email thanking the journalist and offering to clarify anything. If you promised to send additional information, data, images, or a link to something you mentioned, send it within the hour. Journalists remember the people who make their job easier, and a prompt follow-up with useful material is one of the simplest ways to build that reputation. According to Muck Rack's research, 72% of journalists still cite press releases as the most useful resource PR teams can provide, but a well-timed follow-up email with exactly what they need runs a close second.
If the story runs and it's positive, share it widely. Tag the journalist on LinkedIn, send it to your stakeholders, put it on your website. If you want to understand how to squeeze more value out of coverage once it lands, we wrote a guide on what to do after you get press coverage that covers the full amplification playbook.
If the story runs and it's not what you expected, don't fire off an angry email at midnight. Take a breath, assess whether there's a factual error worth correcting versus a framing you simply didn't love, and respond proportionately. Most journalists are receptive to polite corrections of genuine factual errors, but they won't rewrite a story because you didn't like their angle.
The five things worth memorising
If you take nothing else from this piece, keep these five things somewhere you can find them when the phone rings:
- Don't answer questions on the spot. Thank them, ask about the story and the deadline, and offer to call back in twenty minutes.
- Ask who, what, why, who else, and when. These five questions give you the context you need to decide how to respond.
- Prepare two or three key points. One clear message, one proof point, one human detail.
- Say yes when you can. Reactive media enquiries are a gift, and treating them like one builds long-term relationships with journalists.
- Follow up within the hour. A quick email with anything you promised goes a long way toward becoming a trusted source.
Payper is a results-based PR agency in New Zealand where clients only pay when coverage lands. If you'd like someone in your corner for exactly this kind of moment, get in touch here and we'll give you a straight answer.