Remember: In a media interview you are not talking to the journalist. You are always talking to the journalist's audience

Many people have a phobia about talking to journalists.

That’s understandable I suppose. I hear it all the time before I start my media training coaching.

Well, here’s some words of comfort…you are never actually talking to the journalist.

Strange comment I hear you cry when a reporter is in front of you on Zoom or in person with a notebook or microphone asking you questions. Who else are you talking to?

You are always talking to the journalist’s audience.

It is the people who will read, hear or see what you say who you are communicating with.

One piece of advice is to think of your media interview as a presentation.

Picture in your mind all the readers, viewers or listeners sitting in a room or football stadium looking at you.

When you are talking to a journalist you are in fact talking to them. The journalist is simply representing his readers or viewers because they cannot all fit in your office or the TV/radio studio.

So, if you were?presenting?to thousands of people in your target audience what would be your message to them today? Also, what tricky questions might they ask you during the Q&A session at the end? It is likely the same questions will come from the journalist.