Sample timetable
0900 - 0920
- Introductions, objectives and the day's agenda
0920 - 0950
- Practical exercise 1: "live" TV interviews
0950 - 1050
- Feedback on interviews, including video analysis
1050 - 1100
- Break
1100 - 1145
- Pointers for media interviews
- how the media works
- the importance of messages
- how to answer awkward questions
- the power of "bridging"
- promotion vs. crisis management
1145 - 1300
- Practical exercise 2: phone interviews
- Video analysis and feedback
1300 - 1345
- Lunch
1345 - 1515
- Scenario planning
- Practical exercise 3: print media interviews based on the chosen scenarios
- Feedback
1515 - 1530
- Break
1530-1615
- Practical exercise 4: "down-the-line" TV interviews
- Feedback
1615-1700
- Practical exercise 5: "stand-up" interviews
- Feedback
1700-1715
- Recap of lessons learned, pointers to take away
As this sample shows, the training is practical throughout and is structured around five simulated interviews. These are interwoven with presentations from the trainers, videos of real TV interviews, and discussion sessions, which help participants prepare for media interviews, create robust messages and work more effectively with internal PR teams. Each practical exercise is filmed, allowing immediate viewing and feedback.
We discuss with our clients before the course how each interview should be simulated. For example, we might focus the first TV interview on particular negative issues that each trainee is currently facing, or we might make it an "open" interview in which trainees can promote particular messages.
One of the most important parts of all the modules is feedback on messages. We emphasise to trainees that they should never conduct any interview without deciding in advance the messages they want to communicate - this forms a big part of group discussions during the course.
One option for the afternoon session is to base a module on a selection of scenarios, which must be realistic and fully relevant to the trainees. The scenarios require the most detailed planning and research, allowing the full range of media skills to be practised and developed. Typically, we would give trainees a few minutes to discuss a given scenario among themselves and to prepare their answers to expected media questions. We would then carry out simulated interviews with each.
