subject: What Is Media Training And Why Do I Need It? [print this page] The term media training is one that has appeared a great deal over recent years, but it is one that can confuse some people. In this article we'll attempt to clear up some of this confusion and outline the kinds of skills someone would be likely to pick up if they chose to undertake one of the various forms of media training.
Good media training is all about improving the way you communicate in relation to the latest forms of media. A failure to grasp the importance of being able to communicate through mediums like radio or TV can mean that you fail to get across your message to the people it is intended for. Being prepared is everything, and giving yourself media training can go some way towards ensuring that you do not make any faux pais. The problem is, that once an error has been made, it has been heard or seen by many people, and further more will have been recorded, which means it can be distributed to more people.
Thos who do not understand the power of the modern media are those who might find doing business or being a politician very difficult indeed. It is important, when choosing a firm to provide you with media training, that you select one with a good deal of experience. When it comes to the individuals who will conduct your training, you might want to see if they possess accreditations such as those given out by the Chartered Institute if Public Relations. This often means they have significant experience in real media situations. If they have worked with internationally renown organisations such as the BBC, then the advice they give you is likely to be very valuable.
As well as speaking on the radio or TV, the skills you might acquire with media training courses could include press release writing, podcasting, crisis management, new media, presentation skills and a great deal more.
The kinds of people who might benefit from media training include councillors, politicians and business people. The soft skills that these courses help to build are sometimes, ironically, quite hard to achieve for some people, but just because they are challenging does not mean they are impossible.
There are a range of media training courses available, but you should choose one that has a great deal of experience of using media in the real world, in real situations.
