By Rogério Artoni
Media training is a preparation of professionals to know how to handle the press and become spokespersons for their respective companies. Generally this training aims to help the spokesperson to avoid errors during interviews, to understand how the media works, to know the interests of journalists and how to use, ethically, the contact with media professionals.
A spokesperson needs media training when…
1-…he/she really knows the subject, but do not know how to speak clearly and simply about it.
2-…a company needs someone to attend the press, but this professional has never had a contact with the media before.
3-…he/she gave an interview and the topic was published with a lot of wrong information.
4-…the professional asked to look at the journalist’s notes after being interviewed.
5-…he/she is very technical and cannot explain clearly what he does.
6-…he/she does not want to meet the press because he/she thinks this is not important.
7-…he/she does not know the difference between publicity and media relations.
8-…the professional concedes an interview looking at the camera or trying to hold the reporter’s microphone.
9-…in a crisis situation, the company and the employee believe that the best action is to say they “have nothing to declare”.
10-…he/she thinks that is always a good business to give off-the-record material.
11-…he/she believes that the stories are purchased and that if he/she pays to the journalist, the publication will be positive.
12-…he/she thinks that the cameraman or photographer are second-tier professionals and do not deserve any attention.
13-…he/she thinks the media relations have to shield the company and not answer anything that was asked.
14-…he/she believes that is possible to review an article before it is published.
15-… he/she does not know the difference between an article, a column and a story.
* Rogério Artoni is director of Race Comunicação
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