Last modified on March 28, 2019 by Brad Phillips

Why + What: A Classic Media Pairing

If only the what mattered, would we ever know why something happened? We wouldn’t, which is why there is a why. Why and what are two-fifths of the classic 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, and why) and one H (how) which form the fundamental formula for getting to the bottom of a story.

Journalists use them. Criminal investigators use them. Parents use them.

As we discuss in our media trainings, the why is too often neglected when spokespersons are asked certain types of questions. And that comes at a high cost to their effectiveness.

In the following video, Throughline’s Brad Phillips reveals why that matters and what you need to know.