Media Training Guide for Executives: Prepare for Tough Media Interviews

By Nicole Harris, CEO & Founder, Solv Communications

A company can spend millions building its brand. Then put the wrong person in front of a camera for 90 seconds and watch that reputation unravel.

Media Training Isn’t Just About Interviews. It’s About Protecting Trust

After more than 25 years in journalism, communications and reputation management, I've seen what happens when executives are prepared for the questions they want to answer but not the questions, they're actually asked. And there's a big difference.

The reality is this: You don't get to choose the headline. But you can influence the answer that creates it. That's why every organization needs people who know how to communicate when the stakes are high.

Media Training Isn't About Looking Good on Camera

Let's clear up one misconception. Media training isn't about teaching executives how to smile, sit up straight and deliver perfectly polished soundbites. It's about judgment under pressure.

What separates a prepared spokesperson from an unprepared one?

A trained spokesperson knows how to:

• communicate a complicated issue simply
• stay composed when challenged
• answer difficult questions without becoming defensive
• bridge back to what matters
• acknowledge concerns without creating unnecessary risk
• speak with authority without sounding rehearsed
• recognize when saying less is smarter than saying more

My goal isn't to turn executives into better performers. It's to help them become more confident, credible communicators when it matters most.

Why Executives Need Media Training

Many leaders assume they'll only need media training if something goes wrong.

I think that's backwards. Your CEO might be asked about a major acquisition, and your CFO could face questions about layoffs or your spokesperson could suddenly find themselves standing in front of cameras during a crisis.

Increasingly, executives are becoming public voices for their organizations through LinkedIn, podcasts, webinars, panels and video. In today’s digital world, the microphone has become much harder to avoid.

Being an expert in your business doesn't automatically make you a good spokesperson. Kowing the facts isn't enough. You need to know how to translate expertise into understanding.

What If the Media Asks the Question You Didn’t Prepare For?

One of the biggest mistakes I see? Executives prepare what they want to say instead of preparing for what they’ll be asked. That’s not media training. That’s a presentation.

A journalist isn't there to give you a platform for your corporate talking points. They're trying to understand what their audience wants to know. That means executives need to prepare for the conversation, not the script.

For example, if you're announcing a $50-million investment, your first instinct may be to talk about the company's growth. However, your audience may be wondering: What does this mean for my job? My community? My customers?

That's the difference between communicating at an audience and communicating with one.

How Should Executives Prepare for Tough Media Questions?

I've always believed you can learn a lot about an executive from the first uncomfortable question.

Do they become defensive or blame someone else? Do they start talking in circles or do they pause, acknowledge the concern and answer with confidence?

Consider the question: “Why should anyone trust your company after this?”

That's not simply a media question, it's a leadership question and the strongest spokesperson doesn't run from it. They recognize the opportunity to demonstrate accountability, empathy and action.

The difficult question isn't necessarily the threat. Your response to it is.

How Can a Spokesperson Protect and Strengthen Your Company’s Reputation?

When an executive speaks publicly, audiences aren't just evaluating the answer. They're evaluating the organization behind it. They’re asking, is this company transparent? Does leadership understand the issue? Are they taking responsibility and do they care? And can they be trusted?

This is why I believe spokesperson selection is a strategic decision, not simply a matter of title.

I once worked with an organization that had identified a senior leader as its primary media spokesperson. On paper, the choice made sense. They had the title, the expertise and the authority.

But during media training, something became clear: they didn't perform well under pressure.

When faced with challenging questions, they became visibly frustrated, rushed their answers and struggled to stay composed. Putting them in front of a journalist, particularly during a sensitive issue, could have created more risk than reassurance.

My recommendation was to reconsider who should be the public face of the organization. Because the most senior person in the room isn't always the best person behind the microphone.

The best spokesperson is someone who brings credibility, composure, knowledge and empathy and has the judgment to know what to say, what not to say, and when to pause.

Choosing your spokesperson isn't just a communications decision. It's a reputation decision.

What Should You Never Say in a Media Interview?

Nothing loses an audience faster than an executive who sounds like a press release.

“Leveraging strategic synergies.”

“Enhancing stakeholder outcomes.”

“Driving transformational value.”

People don't talk like that and your audiences knows it.

I saw this firsthand while media training a client whose executives were used to communicating in highly polished corporate language. In the boardroom, it sounded professional. In a media interview, it sounded scripted and created distance between the executive and the audience.

We changed the approach. I put them through realistic, on-camera media interviews, including the kinds of questions journalists actually ask and the follow-up questions that can catch you off guard.

By the second round, they could hear the difference themselves. Instead of reaching for corporate language, they were answering naturally, getting to the point and speaking in a way people could actually understand.

That’s the moment I want executives to have during media training: when they stop trying to sound like an executive and start sounding like a credible human being.

My advice is simple: Say what you mean. Say it clearly. And speak like a person, not a press release.

How Do You Deliver Bad News Without Making It Worse?

Bad news is where a spokesperson’s credibility is truly tested.

My advice? Don’t hide behind jargon, over-explain or try to spin it. If people are affected, acknowledge it. If your organization made a mistake, own it. And if you don't have all the answers yet, say that honestly.

A strong response should answer three things: