After working as a journalist and public relations professional for many years, founder and head trainer Pete Burdon could see a major disconnect between reporters and the people they interviewed for their stories.
He saw so many media spokespeople damage their reputations and the businesses and organisations they represented. This was anyone from corporate CEOs to government ministers to school principals.
This was not because they had done anything wrong or were bad people. It was because they did not understand how a media interview differed from other conversations and what reporters and producers needed for their stories.
Pete says this has escalated over recent years as the needs of the news media have changed.
Pete has more than 20 years of experience helping leaders from numerous sectors communicate with the news media.
His background is in journalism and public relations. As a former journalist for a daily newspaper, he is well aware of what the media want and how to give it to them.
Just as importantly, Pete has worked on the other side of the news. As a high-profile press secretary for the New Zealand Government, he advised Cabinet Ministers on how to deal effectively with the Media. His advisory role extended to that of spokesperson. After performing the same role for a major industry lobby group and a leading public relations company, he moved into the world of the self-employment with the formation of Media Training NZ.
Pete is the author of Media Training for Modern Leaders, published in Melbourne and available in bookstores and online through Amazon.com, Google Books, Barnes and Noble and Booktopia. The book stands out among other similar publications because it takes into account how leaders must change their approach to the news media in today's world. It is also one of the most up-to-date books on the subject available anywhere in the world. These changes are also reflected in all Media Training NZ workshops.
He has two Masters Degrees. The first was achieved in Journalism at the University of Canterbury and the second in Communication Management from the Sydney University of Technology. Pete lives in Christchurch with his wife Stephanie and daughter Olivia. He likes to stay active and ran his first (and probably last) marathon as a 38-year-old.
