“If you touch my junk, I’ll have you arrested.”
There it is…the infamous and accidental sound bite of the moment. You can’t escape these words, which have sparked a national debate about airport security forcing the TSA to defend its procedures. T-shirts are
coming and John Tyner, the San Diego traveler who uttered these words is certainly getting his 15 minutes of fame, and then some. John Tyner wasn’t trying to be an expert on airport security – it just happened when his video of his TSA screening went viral. Now, he’s a media sensation producing more than 2,000 Google results when you search his name alone and more than 7,000 hits when you search under TSA security.
So, all of you out there who are regularly working with the media….how does this apply to you? Well, it’s a reminder of the power of the sound bite (whether on purpose or by chance). When you are in an interview setting, remember to be concise, get your point across and offer up a compelling statement that will be sure to get your words in print. Although, you might not be gunning for a t-shirt or a bumper sticker, perhaps your well-constructed and well-thought out statement will permeate the media allowing your visibility and credibility to be elevated in an instant.
– Jen Klein