In today’s fast-paced, media-saturated society, being invited to speak on the record—whether on national broadcast news, local radio or TV, a podcast, or social media—should be seen as both a privilege and a high-stakes opportunity. When preparing for your moment in the spotlight, it’s crucial to understand the distinction between two critical tools: media training and interview preparation (“prep”).
While they may seem similar, media training and interview prep serve very different purposes. Understanding how each varies can mean the difference in whether you come across as polished and persuasive or caught off guard and off message.
Media Training: The Foundation of Confidence
Media training is a long-term investment in yourself and your organization. It’s about mastering how journalists work, managing your presence under pressure and shaping your message effectively. No matter the format, whether live or recorded, or the interaction, difficult or friendly, you need to land your message each and every time.
Think of media training as building your muscle memory. It should include:
• Key message development: Crafting clear, consistent key messages that align with your mission, vision, values and goals.
• Mastering tactics: Techniques like A+1, Bridging, Flagging and Stop to steer conversations back to your key points. These tools will help you land your key messages no matter the questions.
• Non-verbal communication: As important as being passionate about the topic you’ve been invited to discuss is how it’s expressed. From posture and eye contact to vocal tone and attire, you must master how you present yourself.
• Tough question planning: Maintaining poise under pressure while communicating your key messages does not happen by chance – it requires practice.
Media training is strategic. It equips you with the full range of media scenarios and can be the difference between controlling the narrative or becoming the narrative.
Interview Prep is Tailored for the Moment
On the flip side, interview prep is tactical. It is the focused work done before each media engagement to meet unique demands. After media training has built confidence and skill, it’s time to customize and sharpen your delivery for the context of the interview at hand. This includes but is not limited to:
• Researching the media outlet and specific journalist conducting the interview: Understand the tone, audience and past reporting from this journalist to tailor your approach.
• Sharpening your messages: Come up with the most important points you’ll need to make. Those messages will evolve based on the opportunity, be it a two-minute broadcast segment designed for quick quotes or a 30-minute podcast designed for a deep dive. Knowing the end game will help you better emphasize the points most relevant to this specific interview and anticipate which messages will resonate with the journalist and their audience.
• Developing a list of likely questions: Anticipate the questions a reporter is likely to ask to help you prepare and test those media training techniques to stay on message.
• Practicing with a mock interview: Rehearse under realistic conditions to settle nerves, refine soundbites and perfect timing.
Why You Need Both
Media training lays the groundwork, while interview prep hones your readiness for specific media engagements. There’s a risk to not employing both. As a sports lover, I liken it to going to the gym all year (media training) but skipping the warm-up (interview prep) before the big game. You’ve built strength and endurance, but without the final tune-up, you’re stiff and more prone to missteps.
And doing only interview prep without media training? That’s like running drills the morning of a match without having trained all season. You might be able to fake a few plays, but your instincts aren’t sharp, your stamina is lacking, and the moment pressure hits, you’re scrambling.
For executives, spokespeople, subject matter experts and anyone in the public eye, both are essential. They work together to help you deliver your message clearly, credibly and confidently, no matter the platform.
Lights, Camera, Set Your Intention
The media spotlight doesn’t just reveal, it amplifies. What you say, how you say it and the impression you leave can ripple far beyond the moment. Whether you’re asked to speak as a subject matter expert, brought in to defend a decision, announce a new initiative, or simply share your experience, preparation can make or break your interview. When someone asks, “Are you ready to shine in prime time?” You’ll know the answer isn’t just about whether you’ve practiced your key messages. It’s about whether you’ve built the foundation to speak with purpose, presence and professionalism, leaving a lasting impression beyond the moment.