You cannot predict the exact questions a reporter will ask. You can predict the types. Almost every interview, regardless of subject, runs through the same handful of underlying questions dressed up in the specifics of your situation. Prepare a real answer for each type and the exact wording stops mattering.
1. The opener
“For people who don’t follow this closely, can you explain what’s going on?”
It is testing whether you can be clear without jargon. Prepare a 20-second, plain-language version of the situation that a smart person outside your industry would understand. Land this one and the reporter relaxes; fumble it and they lean in, because they now suspect you are hiding behind complexity.
2. The number
“How many people were affected? How much did it cost? When will it be fixed?”
Decide in advance which numbers you will share, in what form (exact, approximate, a range, “fewer than X”), and which you will not, with a reason. “I don’t have a precise figure I’m confident in yet, and I don’t want to give you one that changes tomorrow” is a fine answer. A guessed number that turns out wrong is a correction and a credibility hit.
3. The worst case
“What’s the biggest risk here? What’s the worst that could happen?”
The trap is the instinct to say “we don’t see significant risk.” That reads as either naive or dishonest, and the reporter will push. Name a genuine risk in plain terms, then immediately say what you are doing to manage it. Acknowledging a real downside and having a plan for it is what makes the rest of your answers credible.
4. The comparison
“How does this compare to what your competitor did? To the last time this happened? To the rest of the industry?”
Answer about what you do and what you know. Decline, politely, to characterize anyone else: “I’d point you to them for their side of it.” Speculating about a competitor’s situation is how you end up quoted in their crisis story.
5. The personal one
“Why do you care about this? What’s your stake in it?”
This is where audiences decide whether they trust you. Have one honest, specific, non-corporate sentence ready. Not “we’re passionate about our mission,” but something real, like “I spent six years on the customer side of this problem before I started the company, so I’ve been the person on the other end of a bad outage.”
6. The closer
“Is there anything you’d like to add?”
Free airtime, and most people throw it away with “no, I think we covered it.” Decide one sentence before the interview that restates your single most important message, and say it here. It is often the line that ends up in the story, because it is the last thing the reporter heard and it was clean.
Two more that show up in tougher interviews
The “isn’t it true that…” construction. A statement disguised as a question, usually containing a claim you dispute. Correct the claim first, calmly, then answer.
The silence. Not a question at all. The reporter finishes your answer, says nothing, and waits. It is designed to make you fill the gap with something unplanned. Finish your answer and stop talking.
Frequently asked questions
What questions get asked in almost every media interview?
Some version of: the plain-language opener, the number question, the worst-case question, the comparison question, the personal or motivation question, and the closer ("anything you'd like to add?"). The topic changes; these underlying types recur.
How do you prepare for a question you cannot predict?
You prepare for the type, not the exact wording. If you have a clear answer to "what is the biggest risk here" in general, you can handle the specific version the reporter actually asks.
What is the best answer to "is there anything you'd like to add?"
One sentence, decided in advance, that restates your single most important message. It is a gift of free airtime and most people waste it by saying "no, I think we covered it."
Should you prepare for hostile questions even for a friendly interview?
Yes. The friendly interview is where people get relaxed and give a loose answer to a question they did not see coming. Prepare the two or three you would least like to get regardless of the outlet's tone.
How many questions should you actually rehearse out loud?
Rehearse your three hardest and your closer out loud, at minimum. If you have time, add the opener, because a shaky first answer sets the tone for the whole interview.
Want your actual likely questions, not just the types? Press Prep predicts the specific questions you are likely to face from the reporter, the outlet, and your own documents, with a suggested bridge for each. See bridging techniques or the full preparation checklist.