Media Training (TV, Radio, Press)

Our Distinctive Approach

Our approach to media training is constructive it is designed to increase familiarity, skills and confidence in media interviews. We build confidence and skill levels by starting with an understanding of the environment and the fundamental reasons for media interviewers’ positions. We gently increase the difficulty level through the training.

Typically we use a well known TV journalist to carry out realistic interviews.

Clients tell us that after our training they see media appearances as opportunities to impress rather than necessary evils to be endured.

Benefits and Needs

A major benefit of appearing in the media, especially on TV, is the opportunity to leave an audience with an impression of what you are like as a person. If you do not take that opportunity, the value of your personal appearance is greatly diminished. We are equally able to deal with the full range of client abilities, from worst to best, and often find it is the better people going in who get the most from what we do. We have very experienced media interviewers who can use a variety of different styles to meet the varied needs of your people.

Location

At your offices means minimum "down time"; going off site means minimal distraction; and at the TV studio means maximum training effect.

Studios cost more, but the extra benefits are significant. Learning about the environment is half of the work, and if you are to face direct hostile questions, you must be comfortable with the feel of a studio. A greater sense of realism makes the training more focused, and reduces surprises when clients go to actual interviews. The heat, the buzz and the technology can intimidate unprepared people. We can mimic some of these features without a studio where budgets are limited.

Personality Change

Most people have pre-conceptions about what should and should not be done when being interviewed. We believe that you should do exactly what puts you at ease. Nearly all media interviewees are victims of "Jekyll and Hyde" syndrome, completely changing personality. They are no longer the relaxed, articulate people they were five minutes before the interview! Our job is to eliminate that personality change. We show you how to "be yourselves at your best".

Who Should be Trained?

It is only cost-effective for clients who are the media representatives of their firm to be groomed for media interviews. Few corporate spokespeople actually appear on TV or radio, so media training should be strictly limited to those who are likely to be interviewed, and anyone who supports that function. It is important for these people to have recurrent training, in order to maintain a high level of performance, and to be media-ready on topical issues.