WCL Media Training Presentation Slides

MEDIA TRAINING 101
WHY DO AN INTERVIEW
• Communicate with
an audience
• Influence that
audience
• Receive coverage
• Build your brand
.
• Build WCL brand
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
(I’m here to help)
What we can do in advance:
1) Know who you are speaking to
Find out:
• The journalist’s name/publication
• Focus of the interview
• Questions or types of questions (not all journalists will give you these
but some will send them in advance)
• Type of story/angle
• Others in the piece (if applicable)
• Type of publication (video, audio, written, web, TV, radio, podcast etc.)
• Is the interview live or recorded?
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
(I’m here to help)
What we can do in advance:
2) Being prepared
• Have answers ready for obvious
questions
• Practice those questions and answers
with teammates, family or in front of a
mirror
• Be prepared for hostile questions
• Develop key messages (these are your
fallbacks. If there is a question you do
not want to answer, it is better to control
the interview with a key message and
bring it back on course)
KEY MESSAGES
• It is always good to have two or
three key messages planed
• These can be the things you want to
come across in an interview
• Less is more, keep these short and
sweet so they can stand on their
own.
• Use examples (where available)
• Examples of Key Messages:
• Feelings about competing at
event/representing country
• Personal or team success
• How you overcame a challenge
• Motivations or inspirations
• Goals
KEY MESSAGES
Example of a personal key message:
• “I am working towards Olympic

qualification”
• We can bring it back to this key
message whether it is a positive or
negative question. You won a
tournament: “This is a stepping
stone towards my goal of qualifying
for the Olympics.” You lose in the
first round: “While today is a
disappointment, it won’t deter me
from my goal of qualifying for the
Olympics, I will get back in the gym
and fix my mistakes.”
CONTROLLING THE INTERVIEW
• Key messages help to control the interview but there are other ways to do
it.
• Bridge- answer questions directly, but bring them back to the things you
want to talk about.
• Don’t speculate, a journalist may ask you something you don’t have an
answer to, address why you can’t answer, then bridge back to you. (ex.
Justina at Commonwealth mixed zone)
• If you do not want to answer a question, you don’t have to but don’t just
say ‘no comment’ then people assume the worst. Say why you are not in
position to comment, then bring it back to your comfort area.
• A way to deflect an unfair question: “What I can say is…”
• Be honest, but don’t volunteer unnecessary information.
• Never say “This is off the record” and then comment, a journalist can still
use that. Some use different techniques than others. Remember despite
your relationship, they have a job to do.
HOSTILE OR NEGATIVE QUESTIONS
• Depending where you are or where the journalist is from, you may get
hostile or unfair questions. Journalist do this to create a headline.
• The important thing is to remain calm and not let it throw you off.
• Having those stock key messages ready will allow you to pivot.
• Do not focus on the negative.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Handling nerves:
• Remember that you are the expert on what is being asked.
• Don’t rush, take time to breathe. A long pause seems much
longer in your head than it actually is.
• Be relaxed and yourself but try to stay serious. Be careful with
jokes, as they can be misinterpreted.
• Remember doing an interview after a loss is difficult, but if you
give the journalists time during your lows, they will be there for
you highs.
SOCIAL MEDIA
• Things on social can be used by journalists
• Ask yourself before you post – if you would be ok with something you post
being in a news story
• If you wouldn’t say it to a close friend or coach, parent, grand parent, you
probably don’t want to say it to a journalist, or post it.
• Always re-read and reflect on something before hitting post, do you want
this attributed to you in five years?
• Be mindful of your content. Be respectful, don’t use expletives, dishonest or
defamatory statements or share sensitive information.
QUESTIONS

WCL Media Training Presentation Slides

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WCL Media Training Presentation Slides

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

WCL Media Training Presentation Slides

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MEDIA TRAINING 101

• “I am working towards Olympic

You might also like