There’s been a lot of discussion lately about whether the media is good or evil. For purposes of our work as people who thrive through a symbiotic relationship with journalists, we’re going to focus this week on how you can make their jobs easi

Simplifying complicated stuff — MSM #046

Feb 7th, 2017 16m 12s

When working with the media, your main goal is to convey your message effectively. That seems simple enough – but it’s a tall task when you need to translate lots of complicated information for a general audience.Researchers, economists, compu

Anticipating a reporter’s questions — MSM #045

Jan 10th, 2017 18m 9s

As with so much else, preparation is key before walking into a media interview or facing journalists at a news conferece. And a key part of that preparation is anticipating likely questions.This means preparing for the tough ones – not just th

Knowing your audience — MSM #044

Dec 20th, 2016 15m 51s

It’s easy to think that your job in a media interview is to impart your wisdom and facts upon the reporter, and as long as he or she nods, smiles and takes a few notes, you’ve accomplished your mission.But ultimately, it’s important to speak i

Who needs the media? — MSM #043

Nov 15th, 2016 13m 25s

The media has taken a beating lately, especially in the presidential election. Depending on whom you ask, TV and radio stations and newspapers are somewhere between untrustworthy and completely irrelevant.All of this talk may have you wonderin

Three interview distractions to avoid — MSM #042

Oct 11th, 2016 15m 42s

The opposite of connecting with your audience is distracting them. In this episode, we discuss three distractions that can kill your message – and ways to avoid each of them. They include:Dressing to distractUse of filler wordsPoor eye cont

The role of a PR pro in an interview — MSM #041

Sep 20th, 2016 21m 13s

According to some, PR pros should be seen but not heard in media interviews. Others insist they should stay completely away from the interview in the first place.Then, there’s the crisis comms consultant for former Baylor University Chancellor

So, what’s news? — MSM #040

Aug 23rd, 2016 19m 40s

Before you pitch your story to a journalist, it’s helpful to think through the criteria he or she will use when deciding whether your story is “news.” To be sure, the equation will vary depending on the reporter, the news outlet, when you’re ca

Five ways to boost your pre-interview confidence — MSM #039

Aug 9th, 2016 14m 23s

Mark Twain once said: “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure.” On this episode, we discuss how one of these can help you do great interviews. (Hint: It’s not ignorance.)When conducting media training s

Five considerations around banning journalists — MSM #038

Jun 21st, 2016 20m 49s

Back on Episode 34, we addressed some timely headlines that involved people in the limelight declaring war on the media. This week, we revisit the topic to focus on a very specific battle in that war: banning journalists.From Donald Trump’s of

Drafting a crisis communications plan, with Melissa Agnes — MSM #037

May 31st, 2016 34m 32s

Organizations with crisis management plans are ready to communicate effectively when the unexpected happens. Yet the work involved with developing such a plan can be daunting, causing many organizations to make the unfortunate decision to fly w

(E)mailing in the interview — MSM #036

May 19th, 2016 13m 18s

We’ve talked previously about how and when to “phone in” a media interview. This episode is about mailing it in – more specifically, emailing your responses to a reporter. As with all interview approaches, it comes with both benefits and drawba

Five ways to strike a balance in your next interview — MSM #035

Apr 26th, 2016 14m 51s

At risk of waxing overly philosophical, so much in life is about striking a balance. So, too, are media interviews. Whether you’re on TV, on the radio or being interviewed for an article, many of the keys to effectively communicating your key m

The problem with declaring war on journalists — MSM #034

Apr 5th, 2016 23m 9s

Sometimes, taking a stand against a journalist is justified. But sometimes it’s not, and amounts to an ethical misstep or even breaking the law.In this episode, we look at four examples ripped from recent headlines:Donald Trump’s war with Me

Powerful habits for great speaking, with Lisa Elia — MSM #033

Mar 15th, 2016 25m 41s

Being natural and conversational is important in a media interview – but what if being natural for you involves some bad habits that get in the way of your message?On this episode, we hear from Lisa Elia as we explore a range of powerful metho

Great use of stories, stats and sound bites, with Brad Phillips — MSM #032

Mar 1st, 2016 31m 49s

We often hear – including on places like Episode 2 of MediaSmart – about the need to craft three key messages that you want to deliver in any given media interview. My guest in this episode tells us how those three messages fit into a bigger st

Silence is not always golden, with Hartley Butler George – MSM #031

Feb 16th, 2016 27m 15s

If your crisis communications plan includes the phrase “Duck, cover and let it blow over,” this episode is for you.“When the going gets tough, many of us tend to either say too much, or nothing at all.” So says this week’s guest in a recent co

Giving a great phone interview — MSM #030

Feb 2nd, 2016 18m 13s

Being face-to-face with a journalist is always best, but sometimes, it’s just not possible. That’s when a phone interview may be an option. If you end up “phoning it in,” make sure it’s not by cell or speakerphone, if you can avoid it.The fact

Doing great on TV, with TJ Walker — MSM #029

Jan 19th, 2016 37m 37s

There’s so much to remember when you’re on camera giving an interview. We covered some of it back on previous episodes – but this week, we put it all together with MediaSmart’s first-ever guest, TJ Walker. Walker is the founder of Media Trainin

When your spokesperson screws up — MSM #028

Jan 5th, 2016 15m 46s

Media interviews can lead to great things – except for when they don’t. Even a well-prepared spokesperson can have an off-day or be caught off-guard by a couple questions, perhaps causing them to panic and clam up live on camera. Or maybe he ga

Three PR lessons from Chipotle — MSM #027

Dec 15th, 2015 19m 34s

As the Chipotle restaurant chain attempts to get a handle on a rash of food-borne illnesses at its restaurants, the situation can teach us three important lessons about working with the media, including:The perils of playing the blame game —

Six ways to annoy a reporter — MSM #026

Nov 24th, 2015 20m 48s

Are you getting way too much media attention and looking for tried and true methods of scaring journalists away? This week, we focus on some actions that tell the reporter loud and clear: “I don’t get it.”These include failing to call back – o

Ambush Interviews: The Sequel! — MSM #025

Nov 10th, 2015 20m

In this week’s episode, we continue a discussion that started in Episode 24: How should you handle a journalist who comes charging at you with tape rolling and wants some answers? Fueled by listener feedback, we explore several ways to defuse t

How to handle the ‘ambush interview’ – MSM #024

Oct 27th, 2015 15m 26s

As you pop out of your car, a reporter pops out of the bushes and demands answers to some questions!Okay, so it may not be quite that abrupt – but you could someday find yourself face-to-face with a reporter when you least expect it to happen,

The art of the practice interview – MSM #023

Oct 13th, 2015 19m 3s

Media interviews are like sports, playing a musical instrument or any other skill: they become easier with practice.The good news is that practicing for an interview is painless and relatively simple. All you need is a cell phone with a camera