Media Training

Public Strategies provides specialized training to leaders of corporations, nonprofit groups and other organizations to give them the tools, techniques and insights for dealing effectively with the news media. The need for skillful interaction with the media can arise in many contexts:

• When a leader is called on to represent his or her organization in television interviews, in response to breaking news or for discussion of public policy issues
• When investigative reporters are making inquiries about an organization's operations
• When business competitors, special interest groups, or Internet bloggers are using the public arena to make false statements about a company
• When a company is preparing a public announcement that could have a major impact on the organization's share price and reputation

The media training provided by the professionals at Public Strategies is informed by a depth of experience that is unsurpassed among strategic communications firms. Our team members have coached presidents and senators, governors and military leaders, cabinet secretaries and international diplomats, directors of major trade associations and CEOs of Fortune 50 companies. We have prepared such leaders for major public debates, press conferences, and one-on-one interviews with the most demanding and challenging journalists around the world.

Whether a client has never worked with the news media or is a veteran of media encounters, Public Strategies can provide training tailored to the client's specific abilities and experience level. Our media experts will share the inside knowledge that they have learned from years of experience as journalists, as corporate or government spokespersons, and as media counselors to politicians and corporate executives.

For clients with limited experience, Public Strategies' media training covers the basic elements of message development and delivery, techniques for "staying on message," and tips for how to make the best use of the media. For more experienced clients, training is geared toward enhancing existing skills, diagnosing and curing bad interview habits, and providing tactical advice to strengthen media relationships.

Clients experience intense real-world interview sessions that are recorded and critiqued. They are also provided practical, hands-on advice ranging from what to wear on TV to how to manage a hostile reporter and win control of the interview.

In an era of intense media scrutiny and sophistication, a deep understanding of how best to convey information and deliver messages through the news media is essential for leaders in all fields. Media training from Public Strategies can cultivate the skills that make successful communication possible.