Welcome to The Media Training Company.
About Us
We specialise in helping individuals and organisations improve their media interview techniques using skills and experience learned over decades of attending media interviews.
We offer comprehensive media training for both print and digital, radio, TV and podcast formats.
Our mission is to help our clients excel in the ever-changing media landscape.
Our knowledge and training experience is based on preparing clients for media meetings and providing the type of information to satisfy journalists’ needs and generate the most favourable coverage.
Our Training
Generating the best outcome
from a media interview
Handling difficult and
negative questions
Body language and verbal approach
How to prepare and
deliver your key messages
Our Clients
We offer programmes tailored to your specific needs, so you can gain the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the media world. Let us help you maximise your potential and reach your media goals.
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Appearing live on air in a radio or TV studio can be a daunting experience unless you are properly prepared. Our broadcast training covers how to prepare for a broadcast interview, presenting yourself in a professional manner and how to speak clearly and confidently to get your message across, Also, participants are taught how to think quickly on their feet and be able to handle any unexpected questions or situations that may arise. The training also cover the specialist requirements of broadcast interviews down the line and via telephone and video platform such as Zoom or Microsoft teams.
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The training required to generate a positive outcome from an interview with a magazine newspaper or digital publication is extensive as the interviews are much longer and there is a greater opportunity to lead and influence the conversation if you employ the right techniques .It is important to research the person and publication you are meeting, as well as the journalist who is interviewing you and their areas of interest so you can marry up your own business priorities. Additionally, the training teaches you how to practice active listening and to be able to think on your feet and be able to articulate your thoughts and ideas clearly and concisely.
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Most media publications now have a podcast channel with some having several different programmes on offer. They are eager to interview people who are experts in their business field and can communicate knowledgeably with their audience using everyday language. While broadcast interviews last two to three minutes a podcast can take up to 40 minutes so preparing what to say is vital. The training session will focus on how to prepare for a podcast, story- telling techniques, audience engagement with the typical listener as well as voice control.
Our Services
Our training courses are organised based on the number of participants, their seniority and areas of expertise, your budget and your location.
Each session covers the rules of media engagement, where we cover the theory of how to generate the best possible coverage including bridging techniques, integrating your messaging, body language and when you can ask for quote approval.
Our media coaching helps companies and senior executives to:
Develop their key messages
Practice and refine interview technique
Build spokesperson confidence in real scenarios
Gain an insight into the minds and agenda of the journalists who are interviewing you, their incentives, drivers and motivations. Understanding their agenda will help you to deliver yours.”
We conduct mock interviews to check if the lessons have been absorbed. We can cover a variety of interview formats including print and digital, broadcast and podcasts. Detailed feedback is provided after each interview and a full report is prepared at the end of each training session.
The Team
Mark Knight, Lead Trainer, has over 30 years’ experience in media training and public relations
He began his PR career as a press officer for NATO’s rapid deployment force. On leaving the armed forces he became a PR manager with the defence electronics arm of Thorn EMI before becoming global head of PR at the Financial Times. On leaving the FT he moved to Omnicom to head its B2B PR consultancy business in the UK. Most recently he was head of Four Communications’ corporate and financial practice before founding The Media Training Company.
Over the last ten years Mark has media trained hundreds of business executives including fund managers, accountants, lawyers and property professionals as well as university academics, book authors and charity executives.
Tim Harrison is a strategic communications consultant with more than 30 years’ experience, helping organisations to deliver effective, impactful communications that add value to relationships with stakeholders, including investors, media, regulators, policymakers, employees and communities.
Tim is a seasoned executive coach, training senior business people to achieve their full potential when addressing investor, media and industry audiences. His coaching is founded on his deep and broad knowledge of business, the media, capital markets and the investment landscape.
Tim’s career has covered every aspect of communications in every continent. He has worked in consultancies and in-house, for clients ranging from small businesses to global multinationals. From 2006-16, he held various global communications lead roles with HSBC, leading business-focused campaigns and helping the bank to navigate its many reputational issues.
Testimonials
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Chiara Barreca, Senior Media Relations Manager, Candriam
“Mark is a brilliant and experienced PR professional who has a real drive and passion for media and issues management training. In his many years in the communications industry, he has devised a tried and tested programme for teaching company CEOs, leaders and experts what they need - and much more - to become successful and impactful spokespeople in the media. And the proof is in the results. I have had the honour and pleasure to work with him delivering many media training sessions and the feedback from clients has always been beyond their expectations. More importantly, I have seen how the training Mark developed helped clients first hand, allowing them to become true media stars and build their brand and reputation in an increasingly competitive media landscape.”
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Tim Steele, Director, Global Head of Content & External Communications
“I’ve worked with Mark for over a decade across all aspects of financial services-related communications, during which time he has been a trusted source of advice and industry insights for the Communications function, senior leadership and other key internal stakeholders. Mark brings a seasoned eye and authoritative voice to all facets of the media relations process, from journalist engagement, storytelling, newsjacking and reputation management. His training sessions are well-organized, engaging and suitably rigorous in terms of preparing executives and subject matter experts, and ensuring positive and productive media interactions.”
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Jane Russell, Head of UK Investor Relations and Global Consultant Relations, Comgest
“I have had the pleasure of working with Mark for 8 years. He has a vast experience working with asset managers and was quick to develop a strong understanding of our business, our culture, our edge and how we want to be perceived in the marketplace. Mark extended the PR relationship with Comgest to conducting dedicated media training across our entire investment team which proved to be extremely valuable. The skills learned in Mark's training sessions have been incredibly useful not only for interactions with journalists but with clients and in everyday life. I cannot recommend his media training highly enough!”
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Rory McIvor, Investment Communications Specialist, Ruffer
“Mark looked after our press and media relations for the best part of the last decade. Mark was an invaluable sounding board and ever-reliable guide. He is a genuine pleasure to work with - bringing professionalism and levity in just the right balance. I can wholeheartedly recommend Mark for media training and to provide a holistic approach to developing successful UK press relations.”
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Neema Patel, Director Corporate Content, Standard Chartered Bank
“During my time at Broadgate Mainland Mark was one of the principal media trainers and based his training programmes on his experience dealing with a wide variety of journalists during his long career in PR. He helped clients get their message across in an engaging way, helping improve their chances of generating positive media coverage, plus his training sessions are never dull!”
