Isn’t all media training the same?
Yes and no. Yes, because all media training is about giving candidates experience of answering questions in front of a camera or microphone and then playing the tape back to them while analysing what they did well and where they can improve. No, because there are huge differences in the quality of the delivery and the quality of the trainers. There are almost no barriers to entry, anyone who once worked as a junior reporter on ‘Obscure FM’ can set themselves up as a media trainer. Essentially there are three types of media training:
- Local. Generally these are ex-regional television reporters. They’re well-connected locally but the quality can range from poor to pretty good. Often the training is of the ‘keep-your-hands-together-and-don’t-wear-a-checked-shirt’ variety.
- Bulk. There are perhaps half a dozen providers of bulk media training. They rely on ‘bums on seats’ for revenue. Again the quality is variable although some providers are excellent, especially if you want to train a large number of staff to a basic level of competence.
- High-end. This is where Millbank media sits on the spectrum alongside maybe half a dozen other providers. The quality of service is generally very high and it can be exceptional (obviously that’s us!) but there are some things you need to watch out for.
