Munger's talking heads tips

Former gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger implores academics to grant media interviews in a column in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Munger, the chairman of political science at Duke University, is known to long-time Dome readers as a quote-machine.

His column urges academics to see reporters and their stories as a easy way to get their research some attention.

"There is no cheaper or more effective way for your institution, and your research, to have an impact," he wrote.

In that spirit, Munger offers some handy tips for would-be pundits. One tip is to watch the flip comments. Munger, a man who once said the Republican Party has a history of trotting out "circus clowns" as candidates, knows of what he speaks.

Who could forget his review of then-candidate Beverly Perdue's ads which he said "appeared to be designed to prove that she was once a child and had later had a series of unfortunate haircuts."

"Guess which of my comments made the air that night" he writes in his column. To his credit, Munger did later punk himself.

"I probably should have avoided criticizing someone else' haircuts," he wrote on his blog. "Since, I mean, NO ONE knows more about bad haircuts than I do."

More after the jump.

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Munger offers practical advice such as leaving a silence so editors can easily edit answers. He also advises academics to ignore the question.

Many, many times, I have gotten a question, and I nod and then answer a completely unrelated question. I cover something I want to talk about, have prepared, and really know about. Surprisingly often, the reporter looks at the cameraman, they both nod, and say, "Thanks, that's all we need."

Keep it short, and animated, and give them your best 20 seconds, on your best point. Remember: They don't air the questions. And if the reporter really wants you to answer the question, she'll ask it again.

Hat tip: Eric Ferreri