Overview

Because the media spotlight can be both positive and negative, professional media training is designed to help you make the most of your publicity opportunities while minimising the potential for damage to your reputation.

By understanding what the media want, you can greatly enhance the likelihood of a successful outcome, particularly when a difficult issue arises.

Using an interactive training model with video playback and self-critique, you will see real improvements in your interview skills, your overall presentation skills and how you express your key messages. Participants rate this learning process very highly

The Media Training and Issues Management Short Course also covers the basics of public relations, such as how to position your company through positive interactions with the media, building your profile without advertising, when to write a media release and how to structure it to optimise media interest.

Topics Covered

• Trends and basics of dealing with the New Zealand media
• How the news media operates – print, radio & TV
• What to do when a journalist calls
• Interview techniques
• Home truths about journalists and how to gain their respect
• What is ‘news’ – defining your hook/angle and adding ‘sparkle’
• Key messages, bottom lines and over-riding objectives
• Elevator interview –getting your message across in 30 seconds
• Managing difficult interviews – the principles of control, preparation, content & risk
• What to do when you are in the wrong
• PR disasters and why the media love them
• Public relations strategies & how to use them
• Writing media releases
• Presentation skills – body language & voice control
• Handling nerves & other tips on presenting with confidence

Using video camera, microphone and lights, participants learn the different techniques in managing a range of interview situations for print, radio and TV. The course also freshens up presentation skills, from body language, how to stand - to voice projection

Who should attend

This Short Course is suitable for anyone who feels they could develop better skills when managing the media or to prepare for a spokesperson role. If you are anxious about talking to the media or simply making presentations, and want to make sure you are better prepared next time, this is the course for you.

If you want to learn how to interact with the media, maximising your company profile, this course will teach you skills to pin point what is newsworthy in your organisation and how to use this to your best advantage

Outcomes

After completing this Short Course you will know how to:

• Use the media to your advantage
• Respond confidently to a journalist’s approach
• Communicate your organisation’s key messages succinctly
• Manage issues so they don’t become crises
• Understand when and how to use Public Relations strategies to manage your reputation

Previous participants have been surprised at how the media management skills they have gained bring benefits in other areas, such as business strategy development, presentations and communications with stakeholders in general.

What Participants Say

"It enlightened me about taking a difficult question and turning it into an answer that moves the situation on. It’s given our company more confidence in terms of how we would handle that. More importantly, media responses should be an integral part of any company’s business model. Since the training, we have made it a policy to prepare a media response sheet, which includes answers to the ‘killer questions’, for all of our projects."

Jim Speedy - Chief Executive @ Covington Group

"I found the course informative and helpful from a media point of view. I thought the teacher was good – to the point and relevant. It has made me more confident to deal with this type of situation in the workplace and to offer advice and guide senior management as they are the ones that would actually be doing the interviews. I feel more confident if I was to be put in a position in front of the camera and would know what to do/say in such a situation. "

Karina Rowling - PR Co-ordinator @ Flight Centre

"I thought the course was very insightful and appropriate for me in my current role. The presenter Susan was great and full of knowledge. I learnt a few tips and tricks and it certainly gave me a lot more confidence to do my job! I look forward to creating new "Media & PR" policies based on what I have learnt on the course."

Tana-Lee Henare - HR & Investor Relations Manager @ Pacific Edge Limited

Presenters

Suzanne McNamara

Suzanne worked in television and newsrooms for several years, beginning her career with TV3 in 1987. A former news camerawoman, she has covered political campaigns alongside journalists such as Bill Ralston, and filmed and edited interviews with a wide range of people from the Prime Minister to the blue collar worker. Suzanne delivers valuable insights into the workings of the television media with plenty of anecdotal stories to tell.

Having left television to pursue a business career, Suzanne went on to work in a range of marketing and general management positions. She returned to television, working in TVNZ’s licensing division on high profile brands, such as Team New Zealand, America’s Cup, Silver Ferns and many entertainment brands.

Suzanne set up Convergence Communications & Marketing Ltd’s Auckland office in March 2006 and helped develop the company’s national media training module.

Qualifications and Associations

• MPRINZ (Member, Public Relations Institute of NZ)
• Diploma in Marketing Management – Massey University
• Diploma in Business Administration – The University of Auckland
• Masters in Business Administration – The University of Auckland

www.conv.co.nz

Raewyn Rasch

Raewyn Rasch is an award winning journalist with 26 years experience in radio and television.

She has worked as a reporter for TV3, Radio New Zealand, CTV and TVNZ where she rose through the ranks to become Executive Producer of the iconic Fair Go programme. It was here that she gained a unique insight into crisis management. She has the ability to break down complex issues and get to the heart of matters, while maintaining the integrity and legality of the message. Raewyn is an expert in media law and developed a training module used by TVNZ.

Raewyn also spent three years as Training Manager for TVNZ’s News and Current Affairs division, training many of the country’s current newsreaders and presenters.  She has an experienced and practical approach to presenting from how to calm nerves to how to project the perfect image.  These skills are invaluable not only on TV but also in the board room, sales pitch or any situation where good communication is vital.

Qualifications and Achievements

• Qantas Media Awards Judge 2005 & 2007
• Winner, 2000 Qantas Media Award – Best Information Programme (Fair Go)
• Bronze Medal, New York Festival – Community Service Programme (Fair Go)
• Winner, 1999 Qantas Media Award - Best Information Programme (Fair Go)
• Finalist, 1999 Qantas Media Awards - Best Producer
• Supreme Media Award, 1994 NZ Aids Foundation (also Best Television Coverage Award Winner)
• Beattie Award 1987 – Best Radio News Coverage (coverage of Louisa Damodran murder)
• Represented TVNZ on the NZ Journalism Training Organisation
• Certificate in Journalism Wellington Polytechnic