“​​​​​​​​​We believe old school media training has had its day.

Trot out the formula, send people to studios, watch them dutifully deploy “the A-B-C” and “insert key message here.”

Just one problem. It doesn’t work. The audience is immune to this approach to interviews. The reasons why are intriguing, but one thing is clear: media training which hasn’t evolved is fairly pointless.

Yet here’s the rub. Interviews can be tough, and a studio can be a difficult environment. Message grids are safety nets…comfort blankets as the nerves kick in. You can understand why people fall back on them.

Which is why our coaching always starts by working with spokespeople to forge a positive headspace.

Only then do people feel they can bring genuine character to an interview in a way that feels safe, but sparks a connection with the audience and gets the interviewer on side.

The trickier bit is controlling the exchange without compromising on that authenticity. Steering answers to your narrative without it sounding – to be frank – like you’ve been trained how to do it.

And though it’s a superpower on air, with the right coaching it’s not nearly as difficult as you might think.

Like all decent journalists we listen hard. We recognise how exposing interviews can feel for people, often very senior and often very experienced. But the answer should never be to close off the paths you have to connect with your audience.

The 2026 media landscape presents an opportunity for organisations and individuals to cut through with real impact. Yet that only happens when the audience do hear character, and don’t hear control.

And that’s the first step towards what we call evolving media training. It’s a fascinating time to be doing this.”

Chris Jameson – Director and Co-Founder, Inside Edge Media Training