Professor's Newsnight Remark

Another golden rule here when it comes to interviews, watch what you say while the camera is still rolling!

Media training for councillors

Local authorities across the UK recognise the need to protect their reputations by ensuring key staff and councillors undertake media training with Mosaic Publicity in order to prepare for challenging interviews.

Many people may think they can handle tricky media situations without training or preparation – but they would be unwise to talk about their pet subjects in front of a microphone without having planned their key messages first.

By undergoing expert broadcast skills training with professional journalists who are also accredited trainers with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, councillors and council officers will be far better prepared when facing the media for real. Even those who are highly experienced will benefit from refresher training.

A broadcast skills day for four people typically consists of expert tuition at the beginning followed by two radio interviews and two television interviews with extensive feedback.

As well as ensuring the content of each interview is comprehensive and easy to understand, clear focus is given to style. Does the interviewee have any funny habits, do they lick their lips or have wandering eyes, do they wobble and teeter or wave their hands around?

With TV training, body language plays an important part: it is often said the eyes are the windows to the soul. You can tell immediately if an interviewee is lying because they widen their eyes and look shifty!

Even the clothing you wear can make a real difference. Anything distracting will mean that viewers are focusing on the wild patterns or dangling earrings rather than looking at the interviewee and listening to what they have to say.

Herringbone jackets can cause problems for TV cameras, resulting in bright wavy patterns appearing across the screen.

There is far more to think about than many delegates realise. For example, the backdrop for an interview is also important – you don’t want to be seen under an Exit sign if you’ve just lost your job!

How you handle challenging questions when a journalist is behaving like a dog with a bone in its mouth is also critical. It’s best to practise your answers with colleagues and friends before doing it for real. They’ll give you an honest opinion. And always check you’ve managed to get out the five key messages you have prepared in advance.

Councils, along with other public sector organisations, are unlike private businesses in that they are accountable for how they spend taxpayers’ money. There are many instances where individuals will come under the spotlight, not for being a campaigning councillor doing good but for being one whose authority is being seriously questioned and scrutinised over decisions taken.

Agreeing what line to take is something for political parties to decide on strategically but, in many instances, little thought is given in advance to looming crises. It’s all too easy to provide a knee jerk reaction because you are being pressurised to meet a deadline and then live to regret the consequences.

Whether you are dealing with a planning application or a financial scandal, ward matters or general council business, it is critical to ensure that your reputation is managed – and what comes out of your mouth is the first thing that is likely to be your undoing.

By taking some time out to consider the consequences of all the comments you make – whether for print media or broadcast media – it will buy you time to create an answer that will deliver the best results for you in the long run.

For media training courses delivered by CIPR accredited trainers, please contact Mosaic Publicity (01206) 548100.

How NOT to do an interview

If ever you have wondered why media training is so important, please take a look at this video which was posted on YouTube:

If you are going to do an interview, please read our Interview Tips first or, better still, contact us to undergo thorough training in how to put your key messages across in the most effective way possible.

Media Training in a recession

Why do company representatives feel the urge to mention the economic downturn every time they are on air? Is it because their PR teams keep telling them the only way to get coverage is to pander to the negative stories that are doing the rounds, creating a vicious circle that becomes self-fulfilling?

With Mosaic Media Training, we encourage spokespeople to talk up their stories, making the most of their soundbites to convey their key messages. It's not all doom and gloom out there; you will hear many success stories as people find creative ways to combat the recession and increase their market share.

If you don't understand how to get the best out of your PR opportunities, why not participate in one of Mosaic Publicity's 16 different training courses, from broadcast skills and podcasting to press release writing and crisis management?

Our team each has more than a decade's experience of training the UK's top managers, backed up by a career in broadcast and print journalism, leading to our accreditation as trainers by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations.

Please visit our Media Training website for further information or call (01206) 548100.