How to Manipulate the Press

Being able to manipulate the press is an art form. Whether you're running for president of the United States or president of the PTA, you're bound to encounter the press. In order to make the stories and news spin in your favor, you have to know how to work the system. With a little bit of creative thinking, you can have the press eating out of your hands.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Pay attention to your behavior at all times. When you run for a political office or are in the public spotlight, you're usually being watched no matter where you go. So curb your behavior at all times, to avoid giving the press some juicy tidbit to share. Keep your cool no matter what.
2. Choose your interviewers carefully. This may be the most important tip when it comes to manipulating the press. Carefully select the right journalists, and only talk to those that you know will portray you in a positive light. For instance, if you're a democratic candidate, only talk to those who support the Democratic Party. If you talk to someone from the other side, they're bound to poke holes in your argument.
3. Find out what the questions are beforehand. This will help you prepare the best answers, and keep your image sparkling clean. Go over your answers with others in a test run before the interview to see if anything needs work.
4. Be careful what you share. Certain things like your religious affiliation and family life may help your cause, while others may actually harm it. So open up when it serves a good purpose, but keep your mouth shut about the rest. If someone asks you about a private matter, feel free to change the subject.
5. Hire an expert PR person. A good spin doctor is worth every penny. If something goes wrong, they're pros at manipulating the press and turn a bad thing into a good one.

Tips & Warnings

• Always review a copy of all press releases and news pieces before publishing if possible.