It’s a real pleasure to listen to a radio interview when, regardless of what is thrown at him/her, the interviewee leaves with his/her credibility intact.

It takes a huge amount of skill and experience to handle a ‘hostile’ interview or to cope with the pressure of the media when something has gone terribly wrong.

Of course having a crisis communications plan in place helps to ensure that a business can cope with dramas and disasters. But what’s particularly unpredictable is when a journalist has a bee in their bonnet about an issue and appears determined to find a scapegoat.

Suddenly the tone of the interview changes and you’re on the back foot – not only fighting to preserve your own reputation - but the morals of the entire sector, or so it feels.

And sometimes you just can’t win. When Radio Four’s James Naughtie got his teeth into Asda corporate affairs director Sian Jarvis, the poor woman had no chance.

Regardless of what she did or didn’t say, with the best will in the world I think it’s extremely unfair to hold Asda responsible for ruining the health of our children. Their job is to sell stuff. They don’t give it away, people choose to buy it. Just like people choose to stock up on cheap booze or to indulge in fast food.

Surely, I hear you say, it’s time people started taking responsibility for their actions – and stopped blaming everyone else for their problems. Good luck explaining that to the press – ever tried to get a bone off a dog?

http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Food-Safety/Asda-boss-in-PR-gaffe-when-radio-interviews-turn-nasty/?c=ktLArBcbayepAzZlD3Agcg%3D%3D&utm_source=newsletter_daily&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Newsletter%2BDaily