Yes, this has always been our ‘mantra’, but Devin Scobie explains why media training is more vital than its ever been.
Autumn is always a time for the team at Scottish Media Training to reflect on the year nearing its end. Whilst we’ve seen more demand for presentation and Holyrood committee training, it is worth acknowledging our core service MEDIA TRAINING – remains essential.
And to help mark nearly 25 years in the business, if you’re a former client, we’ll offer a fresher half day course with either a 25% discount or at the same rate as your original course – whichever is the cheaper.
Remember that we live in the era of instant news. One ill-judged sentence can go from a live interview to a viral clip, a national headline and a reputational crisis in a matter of minutes. Twenty-five years ago, that same comment might have appeared in tomorrow’s newspaper — if it made the news at all. The media landscape has fundamentally changed, and the demands on anyone speaking publicly have changed with it.
Traditional press coverage still matters, but it now competes with a constantly evolving digital environment. Social media, online news platforms, podcasts and video clips mean that a single interview can reach audiences far beyond its original target. A comment made during a carefully managed interview can be extracted, shared and debated globally within minutes.
The needs of journalists have changed, too. Newsrooms are under pressure to publish quickly, produce content across multiple platforms and find compelling stories in an increasingly crowded information space. Interviewees must therefore be ready to deliver clear, concise and memorable messages, often under challenging questioning and against tight deadlines.
Meanwhile, organisations face greater scrutiny, faster-moving crises and the possibility that an ill-judged remark can damage reputations long after the original story has disappeared from the headlines.
Effective media training is no longer a luxury — it is an essential professional skill. Understanding how journalists work, anticipating difficult questions, bridging back to key messages and communicating confidently on camera or online can make the difference between controlling a narrative and becoming the story.
Crucially, training should not be a one-off exercise. Techniques that worked five or ten years ago may need refreshing as platforms, audiences and journalistic practices evolve. Regular refresher courses help experienced spokespeople sharpen their skills, adapt to new challenges and prepare for the unexpected.
The question is not whether your organisation will face a challenging media moment, but whether your people will be ready when it happens. Now is the time to review your media training, refresh your skills and give your spokespeople the confidence to perform under pressure.
Don’t wait for a difficult interview or a communications crisis to discover where the gaps are. Invest in preparation today with Scottish Media Training— before the next headline is written.