Lights, Camera, Eek! The Importance of Media Training
2/16/2010 12:59:03 PM

By Kristyn Wilson, Media Relations Director

Stepping in front of the camera can be a nerve wracking experience, even for CEOs, doctors and politicians. A great TV interview can be a powerful PR experience: it gives you the opportunity to reach the masses with the message you want to share. However, a bad TV interview can be just as powerful and cause more harm than good. That’s why MediaSource highly recommends media training for anyone who is going to hit the airwaves. As hokey as it sounds, the old saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” really is true, and MediaSource can help you master the art of the TV interview.

A media training session at MediaSource is very customized. We create real scenarios that the interviewee is sure to encounter. Most training sessions include a combination of classroom instruction and practical application so a client receives well-rounded training. MediaSoure trainers also do more than talk the talk - they’ve also walked the walk, having worked in a TV newsroom either as a reporter, anchor, producer or news videographer at some point in their careers. The tips and training MediaSource provides comes from experience and that experience has helped university presidents, scientists, fashion CEOs and even paid spokespeople. We know TV, and by the end of a MediaSource training, our clients do too.

Here are a few tips from a MediaSource media training:

Always Remember to Stay in CONTROL

C - Concise answers
O - One question, one thought
N - Never lie or hedge
T - Treat reporters with respect
R - Rehearse before every interview
O - Offer facts and real life examples
L - Look for appropriate branding opportunities

MediaSource can media train individuals and groups in half-day and full-day sessions. Training can also take place at our Grandview studio or on location.

Don’t take chances: make sure your first TV impression is a fantastic one by making sure you or your spokesperson is media trained. Click here to e-mail us for more information and to schedule your media training session with us today.