The importance of media training for when a journalist comes knocking on your door

When a journalist comes knocking, understanding the importance of media training can make the difference between opportunity and risk. Do you know what to do? It could be an opportunity to spread good news. It could be bad news questions that need countering. Either way, are you prepared?

Sometimes you can anticipate when these moments will arise. Other times, they are completely out of your control; they materialise and metastasise in a matter of hours.

But you can always prepare. Always.

Understanding the importance of media training in today’s media landscape

I spent the best part of three decades interviewing people – asking questions. I was always prepared. Sometimes it was a matter of minutes, going over in my mind. Sometimes it was months of research and planning. Good journalists prepare.

Good business leaders and executives, high-profile sportswomen and men, insurgent founders and trust-seeking public figures must all do the same. Your reputation will depend on it.

Why preparation and practice define the importance of media training

Preparation allows you to perceive and plan for what’s coming at you; it helps you appreciate the importance of staying ‘on point’; it helps you learn or enhance the skills that let you speak with poise; it helps you communicate with a passion that your audience will notice.

You must also practise; go through a scenario in the safety of a studio, or an office, opposite someone who used to question for a living. Feeling the tension and excitement of that moment, in a constructive and safe setting, is crucial to preparing for when it is real. Defending or enhancing a reputation that took years to establish means investing in practice.

How media training builds understanding and strategic insight

Our media training starts with insight: why are these media moments happening, what’s at stake, what do all the players want out of it? We touch on awareness and appreciation for the scrutiny that comes with stepping out. We examine who your intended audience is; have you established what you want to say to them? How do you say it with clarity?

We discuss delivery and examine real-world best and worst practices. But these are not sessions designed to change you in a matter of hours; they are designed to inform, illustrate and enhance.

The broader importance of media training beyond interviews

We help you plan for the moment that knock comes at the door. But the insight we provide, with the skills and techniques that we teach and test, is applicable in numerous aspects of your work.

Communicating with the people you work with, those who invest in you, those whose approval or agreement you need. Our media training isn’t just for the media moments; it’s about appreciating the importance of preparation, engaging and communicating with clarity, anticipating what may come at you, and understanding how to stay focused in the exchange.

In a livestream, in front of a camera, under the lights, face-to-face, we want you to communicate with calmness and talk with a clarity that your audience can understand – and relate to. But remember, now and then, it’s ok to say I don’t know, and here’s why I don’t know.

The biggest mistake you can make is to wing it – our media training gives you the tools to handle the trickiest questions, the ones you didn’t want to be asked.

More from us

At PHA, we understand first-hand the importance of media training. Our team is made up of former journalists who know exactly how interviews are shaped, what journalists are looking for, and how quickly a conversation can shift.