Written by Nicole Harris
Executive Media Training Canada | A Former TV Journalist and News Anchor’s Guide to Becoming a More Credible, Confident Spokesperson
What makes someone good in a media interview? After more than 25 years in journalism, communications, public relations and reputation management - and a career as a television reporter and news anchor - I can tell you it isn't having the perfect sound bite, it’s not memorizing a script or trying to control every question a journalist asks.
The best media-trained executives know how to think, listen and respond when the pressure is on.
That is the foundation of effective executive media training in Canada. Today, I train CEOs, presidents, founders, board members, senior leaders, subject-matter experts and communications teams to approach media interviews from a journalist's perspective.
Because I’ve been the person asking the questions, I know what journalists are listening for. I’ve put together this media training masterclass to help you master the art of the interview and become a confident, credible spokesperson.
- I Want You to Answer the Question
This is the firs and most important rule of media training. Journalists notice when a spokesperson doesn't answer the question.
When I was a TV journalist, I could tell almost immediately when an interview subject was avoiding my question.
If I asked, “Why did your organization make this decision?” and you launched into two minutes about your history, your values or how successful your organization is, I knew you weren't answering me. And I was going to ask the question again and be very direct with you.
Executives fall into this trap because they’re focused on getting to their prepared talking points. But journalists and audiences notice.
My rule is simple: Don’t answer the question you wish you had been asked. Answer the question you were actually asked. Then bridge naturally to the point you want your audience to understand. A strong spokesperson doesn't dodge; they demonstrate control through clarity.
- I Want to Hear a Human Being
One of the biggest mistakes I see in media interviews is corporate mumbo jumbo. “We are committed to leveraging strategic opportunities to optimize stakeholder outcomes…” Stop, nobody talks like that.
As a former TV journalist, I'm listening for language that sounds authentic, understandable and relevant.
Instead say something like, “We know this decision affects people, and we don't take that lightly.” That's a human being talking and human beings build trust.
This is especially important when you're discussing layoffs, a crisis, a controversial decision, a product failure or a community concern. You don't build credibility by sounding perfect, you build credibility by sounding real.
- I Am Listening for Your Headline
Every journalist is listening for the sentence that could become the story. That doesn't mean you should manufacture a clever sound bite. Instead, you need to know what you want people to remember.
Before an interview, I ask executives, If the audience remembers only one thing from this interview, what should it be?
That's your headline. Then identify two or three supporting messages. This is one of the most practical exercises in my executive media training because it creates message discipline without turning the spokesperson into a robot.
You don't need 15 talking points, you need a clear idea, strong evidence and a compelling reason for people to care.
- I Want to See How You Handle the Tough Question
Anyone can look good when a journalist asks an easy question, but the real test comes when the question makes you uncomfortable. I’d ask questions like:
- “What went wrong?”
- “Who is responsible?”
- “Did you make a mistake?”
- “Are you concerned about the financial impact?”
- “Why should the public trust you?”
These are the moments when media training matters most. My job as Canada’s most trusted media trainer isn't to teach you how to avoid difficult questions. It's to prepare you to answer them with judgment, composure and credibility.
I teach executives to:
- Listen before responding.
- Acknowledge legitimate concerns.
- Answer what they can.
- Never speculate.
- Correct misinformation calmly.
- Bridge to what matters.
- Know when to say, “I don't know.”
Saying “I don't know” can increase credibility when it is honest and followed by what you do know.
- I Watch What Happens Between the Words
Television taught me something that every executive should understand. Your audience isn't just listening to your words; they’re reading your body language.
Everything from your facial expression, tone and your posture become part of your message.
Whether you appear defensive, look uncomfortable, or whether your empathy matches the seriousness of the issue. A technically correct answer can still damage trust if your delivery communicates arrogance, indifference or evasiveness.
That’s why effective executive media training in Canada, especially training led by a former TV journalist, isn’t simply about writing better answers. It’s about learning how to think, respond and communicate with confidence when the pressure is on. It's about practising how you communicate under pressure.
- I Want You to Understand the Journalist's Job
Journalists aren't there to make you look good or make you look bad. They're there to inform their audience and that distinction matters.
A journalist may challenge your premise, ask the same question several different ways. That's not necessarily hostility, it's good journalism.
The more you understand what journalists need, which is clear answers, evidence, relevance, and accountability, the better prepared you become as a spokesperson.
The best executive media training in Canada doesn’t teach you to fight the journalist, it teaches you how to work effectively within the interview, answer with confidence and build credibility with the audience.
- I Am Ultimately Asking One Question: Would I Trust You?
This is the real test, would I trust this person, and would I believe they are taking responsibility?
This is why media training and reputation management are so closely connected. Every interview contributes to your organization's reputation.
A strong interview can build confidence with customers, employees, investors, regulators, community members and stakeholders. A poor one can create an entirely different story.
The Media Training Rule I Teach
My goal isn’t to make you sound perfect. It’s to teach you to think clearly, respond strategically and stay credible under pressure.
That philosophy shapes my approach to executive media training across Canada, where I train CEOs, presidents, government officials, elected leaders, board members, senior executives, subject-matter experts and organizational spokespeople to handle high-stakes interviews with confidence, clarity and credibility.
I don't want executives memorizing scripts, I want them prepared for the question they didn't expect.
We work on key messages, difficult questions, bridging techniques, sound bites, body language, interview strategy, crisis scenarios and on-camera performance. Most importantly, we practise on camera.
Because reading about media interviews isn't the same as sitting under a camera while someone asks you a question you don't want to answer. Preparation creates confidence. Practice creates performance. Judgment protects your reputation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Executive Media Training
What is executive media training?
Executive media training prepares senior leaders and spokespeople to communicate effectively with journalists, broadcasters, podcasts and other media. It typically includes message development, difficult-question preparation, interview techniques and practical rehearsal.
Who should take media training?
CEOs, presidents, founders, board members, executives, subject-matter experts, communications professionals and anyone who may represent an organization publicly can benefit from media training.
Should I memorize my answers?
No. Memorize your key messages, not a script. You need to be prepared without sounding rehearsed.
What if the journalist asks something I wasn't expecting?
That's exactly what you should practise. Strong media training teaches you how to think on your feet, acknowledge the question, answer appropriately and return to your key message when necessary.
How can I find the best media trainer in Canada?
The best media trainer in Canada should bring real journalism experience, on-camera expertise, crisis communications, reputation management and strategic communications experience, not simply presentation or public-speaking skills. Look for a trainer who understands both sides of the interview and knows what journalists are listening for, how newsrooms operate and how audiences respond under pressure.
Looking for Executive Media Training in Canada?
I've spent my career on both sides of the microphone, as a former television journalist and news anchor and now as a strategic communications, PR and crisis communications /reputation management advisor and executive media trainer.
I've interviewed leaders under pressure and watched how audiences respond. And I've trained executives and spokespeople to become more confident, credible and compelling when the stakes are high.
My approach to executive media training in Canada combines real-world journalism experience with strategic communications, reputation management and practical on-camera coaching.
Because when the interview matters, you don't need to sound perfect. You need to be prepared, credible and you need to be trusted.
If you're preparing for an important interview, launching into a higher-profile leadership role, managing a sensitive issue or simply want your executives to be more media-ready, let's prepare before the microphone is turned on.
Nicole Harris is a former television journalist and news anchor, strategic communications and crisis communications trainer. For 25+ years, Nicole has delivered executive media training for CEOs, senior executives, government officials, boards, founders and spokespeople.
As Canada’s trusted media trainer, her approach combines firsthand newsroom experience with strategic communications, crisis communications, reputation management and advanced on-camera media training. This ensures leaders gain insight into what journalists are looking for, the confidence to handle tough questions and the judgment to protect and strengthen their reputation when the stakes are highest.
