John Key may have been in the gun this week over the unlawful spying on Kim Dotcom by the GCSB, but he has used a classic media training technique we recommend our clients use when dealing with similar events. From a media training perspective, any preparation for media scrutiny must involve the development of three key points. Expressing regret is often the first one, as it was here. This regret wasn’t directed at the victim as it is in most situations...

The government announcement that a number of schools in Christchurch will either close or amalgamate was always going to be unpopular, but John Key has shown his media training skills in his response to the anger. Issues like this are never easy to win for a government, because no matter how justifiable, facts never win over emotion. With 4500 school students leaving Christchurch after the Earthquake, it’s inevitable that schools will have to close. But try telling that to a community...

The first thing we tell our media training clients is that their organisation must have a single designated spokesperson on any issue with a competent substitute ready to step in at any time. This is for two reasons. Firstly, it prevents mixed messages getting through to the media. And secondly, it's because anyone who talks to the media must have been through a media training course. Over the last week, ACC have failed on both counts. Firstly, when finally agreeing to...

Hone Harawira may infuriate many people, but his use of the word ‘nigger’ this week shows how his media training skills keep him in the headlines. By saying on Twitter that “John Key can tell his house nigger boys what to do” people were clearly going to think he was talking about the Maori Party leadership. But soon he distanced himself from that, saying he was referring to National MPs. From a media training standpoint, this was a clever tactic, although...

She’s been effective at getting her views about same sex marriage across, but there’s one piece of media training advice that would make Louisa Wall be heard more clearly. She needs to ditch the big earrings. In every television appearance, she wears large earrings that constantly wobble when she moves her head. This can distract people from what she is saying. These have not been seen since the days of Christine Rankin. We tell our media training clients to dress conservatively...

Events of the past few weeks and issues that will soon confront schools are why principals and board chairs should all have a media training course under their belt. Tragic deaths of pupils and horrific sexual abuse by teachers have suddenly thrust a few schools into the national media spotlight. Some have done well from a media training perspective, while others have been conspicuous by their absence. Often people learn the hard way that media training should be a fundamental part...

He’s done an OK job in a difficult position, but there is one vital media training tip that will help Beast of Blenheim Lawyer Andrew McKenzie come across a lot better of TV. Improving his body language is the best media training advice he could take at the moment. He may have conflicting personal views on the debate about what should happen to his client after his release. If so, this is showing because he is communicating conflicting signals. His words...

Our media training advice to athletes who are overwhelmed by the emotion of a disappointment is to take a deep breath before criticising others in-front of journalists. Ben Fouhy was clearly frustrated after he failed to make the final of his kayaking event in London. But from a media training and sporting perspective, his outburst of abuse against the funding body, Sport New Zealand, did no-one any favours. It was bad publicity for the sport in New Zealand, adding to earlier...

Before we begin our media training sessions, many clients believe that journalists are always looking for negative stories and are never interested in the positive. This is a common misperception and that’s why many people avoid the media at all cost, even if it’s to the detriment of their organisation. The Olympics provide an important media training lesson here, because 90 percent of the media coverage is positive, particularly from the New Zealand journalists in London covering their countrymen and women....

As a former TV presenter, Maggie Barry shouldn’t need much media training advice. She knows what journalists look for. So she must have known that her attack on the childless Jacinda Ardern’s credibility in commenting on paid parental leave would make the news. From a media training standpoint, the use of conflict or the hint of an attack is a great way to get publicity. If that was Barry’s aim, she certainly succeeded. But this is unlikely as the subsequent publicity...