Media Consulting

Living Communications and Production Magic provide interactive half-day and full-day media training workshops designed to help spokespeople respond effectively to media inquiries and convey a compelling, consistent message. The goal of the training session is to help spokespeople project confidence, sincerity, and credibility during interviews so that they can best represent the company and maximize the chances of positive media coverage.

The media training session includes interview simulations where we conduct simulated media interview situations (print, TV and radio) with spokespeople to help them understand what to expect during real interviews.

Each interview is videotaped and we take time with each participant to go over the video and provide feedback on content and presentation. This is a group workshop where participants ask questions and learn from watching the performances of others.

Customized Workshop

Question lines and interviews are customized to address relevant issues/topics of concern. The objective is to arm spokespeople with the necessary skills to give successful interviews. Before every training session, we work with clients to determine:

• General media relations goals and objectives of each participant (so they can be reinforced throughout the workshop);
• Key issues facing the organization;
• Current media profile; and
• Existing media relations strengths and weaknesses of workshop participants.

The simulated interviews are geared to tackle relevant issues and help spokespeople professionally manage each interview situation. Subjects are also given take-away materials that include helpful techniques they can use in future media encounters.

Key Messages Development

The objective going into any media interview is to communicate your company's key messages to your target audiences through the reporter. This, of course, is not the reporter's intent. His or her job is to report the news. Our job is to create a win-win: an interview in which your company's messages are delivered in a newsworthy way that fulfills the requirements of the reporter, who then features them in the story.

We work with you to develop key messages and positioning statements related to the issues and situations that the company faces on a day-to-day basis. In order for this to happen, discussions and communication should take place - preferably before the media training workshop - as well as during and after the sessions so that the key messages can be fine-tuned. These key messages, combined with specific interview techniques, form the basis for successful media encounters.

Workshop Format

The workshop involves a mix of instruction, modeling, exercises, and videotaped interviews designed to simulate a variety of media situations. Every workshop is tailored to the participant's individual needs and situation or issue facing the company. The workshop covers:

• Media — how they're structured, how they operate and how they gather information; the various media channels: print, broadcast, online;
• Screening questions — questions to ask the reporter before agreeing to the interview;
• Questioning techniques — a review of the techniques most commonly used by reporters to steer interviews to achieve their objectives;
• Mastering the interview — teaches participants how to keep their agendas front and centre in the interview; how to gain and maintain control of any interview; and
• On-air credibility — appropriate clothing, make-up and other grooming suggestions.

Please call us to discuss your project and receive a free consultation. 604-328-8646