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Media Training

Agenda

  • Learn how to tell:
    • Your story
    • The HSC story
  • Gain communication confidence, improve your presence, use appropriate body language
  • Role of the media

Media today

  • MediatodayChange, from a lecture to a conversation
  • Everyone is a “reporter”
  • Instant reporting
  • Hyperlocal and international
  • Measurability
  • Multimedia and multimedia journalists

HSC Media Guidiance

  • Media Inquiries and Outreach: To ensure effective communication, all media inquiries or outreach about university events, policies, procedures, official positions and actions should be channeled through the HSC communications team in Marketing & Communications.
  • In some situations, the communications team will designate someone else as the initial point of contact or for outreach.

Media 101

  • Media101It is about what people hear and take away
  • Context and content
  • Simple, clear, concise
  • Jargon and acronym free
  • People hear with their ears and eyes
  • “Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
  • Seven-second sound bite
  • Interruption
  • The power of not speaking
  • Discipline
  • Repetition is key
  • Offer something new (“I didn’t know that.”)
  • In order to persuade, you must educate before you motivate
  • Speak inspirationally – people will forget what you say, but not how you made them feel

Media Do's and Don'ts

  • DO: Keep your cool
  • DO: Use notes, but don’t stare at them
  • DO: Answer in a complete thought
  • DO: Speak clearly
  • DO: Use small words
  • DO: Use visuals
  • DO: Say what you mean, mean what you say
  • DON’T: Use universals: any, all, never, nothing, absolutely
  • DON’T: Answer hypotheticals
  • DON’T: Fall for “off the record.” There is no such thing
  • DON’T: Repeat or nod at a false premise or a negative

Comfort Fundamentals

  • Energy
  • Appearance
  • Background/setting
  • Eye contact
  • Body language
  • Notes
  • Voice

Appearance: Clothes

  • AppearanceWear Jewel-toned colors such as royal blue, purple and emerald. Grays and pastels also work.
  • Wear dark navy suits and fitted dresses – with or without sleeves
  • Avoid bright whites, deep blacks, neon colors, shiny textures and frills
  • Wear solid-colored shirts and blouses
  • Avoid patterns
  • Unless promoting HSC, avoid logos

Appearance: Hair and Makeup

  • Style your hair in the way that makes you feel the most comfortable and confident
  • Don’t play with your hair on camera
  • Use light powder on face to avoid looking shiny
  • Skip the glasses, if possible

Appearance3

Appearance2

Voice

  • VoiceA louder voice signals energy and excitement
  • A softer voice increases intimacy and drama
  • Don’t trail off
  • Don’t wait for a cut off
  • Edit yourself or be edited
  • The mic is always hot

Body Language

  • BodylanguageEye contact
    • Lock eyes with interviewer/host on location
    • If remote, always look and speak directly into camera
  • Hands
    • When making a point, keep your hands open and gesture up to build trust with audience and show you have nothing to hide
    • When you’re not speaking, relax and rest your hands in a natural position on the table, podium or in your lap
    • Keep hand gestures between shoulders and waist
  • Lean in
    • Don’t slouch, sway or spin
    • Weight forward on the balls of your feet
    • Engage your core
    • If standing, place one foot a few inches in front of the other to avoid swaying

Bridging the gap/addressing controversy

  • The goal is to make sure you’re on message
  • Answer the question you want them to ask
  • Acknowledge the question
  • Bridge when:
    • You don’t know the answer
    • You can’t share the answer
    • A question won’t allow you to deliver a key message
  • Examples:
    • “What I can tell you is …”
    • “I’ll tell you …”
    • “The most important thing your audience can hear …”
    • “I haven’t heard that. I can tell you …”
    • “First, I need to give you some background/context …”
    • Tell me about that lawsuit: “I want to tell you that story, but the lawyers won’t let me talk about active litigation. What I can tell you is …”

Social media tips

  • SocialmediaPersonal
    • Do not make statements on behalf of HSC on your personal account
    • Be respectful when posting/commenting/share
    • Do not respond to negative criticism of HSC
    • Do not post negative things about HSC
    • Do not post false or unconfirmed information about HSC
  • Professional
    • Follow HSC Code of Conduct and Civility
    • Don’t post confidential or proprietary information
    • Follow copyright and legal protocol
    • Maintain HSC brand standards – if you aren’t sure, ask Marketing & Communications

This page was last modified on June 21, 2023