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Just one in 10 of us say that we would trust politicians to tell us the truth. And now local government reorganisation has been thrown into turmoil by recent government decisions and there may be a need to get people on board for a challenge, that could be an issue.The problem may in part be the current communication approach to media relations which promotes control over authenticity.When faced with journalists' questions or public scrutiny the public sector resorts to key messages and lines to take.These are predetermined forms of words that are used irrespective of the questions asked. These days most senior officers and politicians will be well versed in the art of ignoring journalists' entreaties and pivoting to say what they'd planned to say, no matter what.But this approach can erode trust. A frequent complaint said of probing interviews is that nobody answers the question anymore. Leaders (and comms advisers) argue that sticking to a line prevents misinterpretation, misquoting or journalists simply making things up. The problem is it's not just that you don't answer the question – people wonder why you don't and what you're hiding.Maybe, given the state of public trust it's time to embrace a new orthodoxy. But how?First, be authentic. Always say what you can or do believe. And if you don't agree with a position at all, leave the public comments to those who do. The more you convey that what you are saying matters to you – and to the people you are talking to – the more likely you will take them with you.Be yourself. If you are in a leading position, then leading as ‘you' will help. Convey your passion, your energy, your commitment, your unease, your hopes and fears. Humanity shines through. People believe people. Accept publicly that some of things you are going to do are hard and that you, along with other people, will struggle. There's no shame in revealing yourself.Next, be clear in your mind about what you want. Sometimes you simply want people to know things, in which case a clear form of words repeated often can help. But if you want people to feel things or even do things then engagement will matter more and you will probably need some give and take.But focus on what you are trying to achieve, what you are trying to do. Don't be apologetic about this. Accept the fact that getting anything done is difficult. Everyone can relate to that. Even getting to work (which is a ‘how') can be a challenge some mornings. The how-ness of life is never certain.Key messages can be compelling, creating a feeling of control, but life is not like that. It is inherently messy, uncertain, circular, repetitive, frustrating and unexpected. But it is also rich and full of possibilities.Accept the inherent uncertainty in getting stuff done. Nothing is certain. All too often, leaders try to close off the possibility something might not happen by repeating (often endlessly) that it will. Come clean. You can say you'll do your best or that you may have to choose or find an alternative route but you'll do what you can to make something happen. Rock solid guarantees are unrealistic.Allowing uncertainty into media interviews and statements means accepting there will be nuance. Not everyone will use exactly the same words. There will be shades of meaning. Simply knowing your audience will help with picking words that connect. Since this approach is about building credibility, resist talking about the end before you've even reached the starting blocks.Opening up the possibility of uncertainty can also help convey your humanity – the idea that all of us are wrestling with the possibility of failure. It's a very human quality.You should know your subject inside out. Doing so will give you the confidence to be able to argue your case. If you are using key messages to evade detail, people will hear you hedge. If you don't know something, say you don't know. There's no shame; nobody knows everything.And be prepared to argue your case. In key message-driven interviews, people avoid the argument. A journalist might ask something like: ‘Is there a danger that x could happen?' In traditional media training, you would simply pivot to your line, but anyone listening will hear that you're avoiding things. Rather, take them on. If you really believe in something, work hard to win people over.In this new orthodoxy, you will have to accept that you'll be open to misinterpretation.But given the lack of trust in politics, things may have gone too far towards a managed approach. We can allow ourselves to believe that the message matters the most. We can delude ourselves into thinking we can make things simple by saying so.Key messages can be compelling, creating a feeling of control, but life is not like that. It is inherently messy, uncertain, circular, repetitive, frustrating and unexpected. But it is also rich and full of possibilities.So look at the possible upside of this new orthodoxy: people might not only believe what you're saying – they might start trusting you again.Mark Fletcher-Brown is a former communications consultant

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COMMUNICATIONS

Rethinking media relations

By Mark Fletcher-Brown | 02 September 2026

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