Is Media Training Necessary?

??Subscribe to gain insights from a veteran TV news anchor to help you excel at media interviews and public speaking.

Love them or hate them, media interviews are a great opportunity to spotlight your company, showcase your expertise, and reach a wider audience. They can also be nerve-wracking, even disastrous, especially if you’re not prepared...

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That's why media training is essential for anyone who speaks with reporters on behalf of a company or organization. So yes, media training is necessary. Now you may be thinking I'm a bit biased. You're not wrong, but either am I.

Why it Matters

A media interview is high-stakes make it or break it moment. There are no redoes. The journalist is trained to ask questions and you must know how to best answer them, in a way that benefits you and the organization you represent. Effective media training helps you calmly convey your main points, even under intense pressure during a crisis, with a camera in your face.

Some people believe media training creates robotic spokespeople who don't answer questions and just repeat their messages. That's what ineffective media training creates.

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7 Benefits of Effective Media Training

Develops memorable, media-friendly talking points.

?? Creates clever and witty sound bites so your messages stick.

?? Identifies meaningful stories and statistics to illustrate your main points.

?? Finely tunes your messages to resonate and be more impactful.

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Offers real-world practice with mock interviews.

?? Prepares you for media interviews in a safe learning space to make mistakes.

?? Ensures you stay on point with clear stories, statistics, and sound bites.

?? Offers professional feedback on what you do well and areas to improve.

Arms you with proven strategies to navigate difficult interviews.

?? Empowers you to authentically state your most important points in every interview, regardless of the questions.

?? Enables you to handle unexpected or tough questions confidently, even when you don't know the answer.

?? Arms you with skills needed to smoothly handle a media ambush - when a reporter or so-called citizen journalist shows up unexpectedly with a camera.

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Ensures you look your best on camera.

?? Identifies your ideal clothing colors and patterns for on camera interviews and helps you avoid colors that diminish your authority.

?? Ensures you project confidence and authority with non-verbal communication.

?? Offers tips on makeup, hair, and jewelry.

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Provides insight into the media landscape.

?? Helps you understand what reporters want and need from you.

?? Improves your relationship with journalists.

?? Empowers you with insight about different types of interviews, including TV, radio, digital, podcasts, and virtual interviews.

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Improves confidence.

?? Gives you a step-by-step plan to prepare for each interview.

?? Equips you with a variety of techniques to reduce media interview anxiety.

?? Increases self-assurance knowing you're trained and ready.

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Elevates executive presence.

?? Enables you to look and sound more confident and authoritative.

?? Helps you become a clear, concise, and compelling speaker in any situation.

Check out this quick 60-second video to see the media training we offer at reel media pr. ?

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Newsflash: Media training helps you and the reporter.

One more point before you go... as a journalist, I interviewed thousands of people, and it was clear who had media training and who didn't. Spokespeople with training were able to say what they wanted in a clear, concise, and compelling way. Those who didn’t, often rambled on and on until they finally got to their point… a bit frustrating with a newscast deadline looming.

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Good media training isn’t about avoiding questions; it's about handling them effectively. It's not about creating robotic spokespeople; it’s about empowering people to communicate clearly, concisely, and confidently while staying true to their organization’s goals.

So, whether you love or hate media interviews, investing in media training is critical for success! ???????

That's my take. Please share your thoughts... do you think media training is imperative or ineffectual?

Learn More

I work with companies and organizations committed to helping spokespeople excel at media interviews and public speaking.

Visit reelmediapr.com and book a meeting with me to find out if we’re a good fit.

Kerri Kazarba Schneider is the trusted media trainer and speaker coach for Fortune 100 executives, nonprofit leaders and other spokespeople who want to excel at media interviews and public speaking.

She’s the CEO and founder of reel media pr, a consulting firm in Seattle providing expert media and speaker training to clients worldwide, through corporate workshops, one-on-one coaching, and online courses so they can tell their stories on-air, online and in person.?

Kerri launched reel media pr in 2012, after a 20-year career as a broadcast journalist, interviewing more than 10,000 people. She’s passionate about coaching clients with proven strategies, so they can feel confident and excel at high-stakes, on-camera interviews and speaking engagements.