Building and Protecting your Reputation |
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| | So the votes are about to be cast. The result is unpredictable, and there is a huge amount of concern in the UK about how we will be viewed by the rest of Europe. Yes, the Eurovision Song Contest is here again. Good luck to plucky Michael Rice, who has the hopeless task of representing the UK.
Alas, the official video for the UK song is truly dreadful. It looks like a poorly thought out school project, with a budget of about fifty quid. Ah well. |
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The sudden cancellation of the long-running Jeremy Kyle show, and the announcement of an enquiry into reality shows follows the death of a participant after a recent recording. Clearly, we don't know the circumstances yet, but the show has faced mounting criticism.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport Committee Chair Damian Collins MP said:
“Programmes like The Jeremy Kyle Show risk putting people who might be vulnerable on to a public stage at a point in their lives when they are unable to foresee the consequences, either for themselves or their families. This kind of TV featuring members of the public attracts viewing figures in the millions but in return for ratings, the broadcasters must demonstrate their duty of care to the people whose personal lives are being exposed."
It's about time.
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Caspar Craven is a speaker and adventurer. He decided to take his wife and young family on a round-the-world trip in a small boat. What was he thinking? Find out in the Media Coach Radio Show.
There's also a great tune from The Dustbowl Revival, who will be in the UK later this year.
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The MediaMaestro is Chris Evans. His new breakfast show on Virgin Radio attracted an average weekly audience of 1.05 million in the first three months of 2019.
He moved to Virgin in January after leaving BBC Radio 2, where he attracted around nine million listeners during his decade on the breakfast show.
The DJ said he moved to Virgin because he "wanted a new mountain to climb", adding: "I'm back in my spiritual home and loving every minute of it."
Good for him - I have listened to his new show and it's no surprise that it is gaining listeners fast.
The really good news though is that more people are listening to radio generally. Looks like that upstart Internet has not taken over yet....
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The MediaMug is Zvezda, theTV channel of the Russian defence ministry.
They claimed to have spoken to opera singer Elena Obraztsova as she attended the funeral of controversial journalist Sergei Dorenko last weekend. There was one problem - she died several years ago.
Zvezda quoted Elena Obraztsova as saying that Mr Dorenko was an "uncompromising journalist", who either "spoke the truth or did not speak at all".
Zvezda originally changed the story by attributing the quotes to Elena Obraztsova's daughter, but then took it down. Oops. |
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Speaking Tip - You can't make several big points |
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When I'm coaching CEOs for a big speech, I ask them what they'd like to say. I often hear the response "I have four (or five, or even six) big points I need to make". They tend to look rather disappointed when I say "Fine, but let's make them little points. you can't make more than one big point". After a brief discussion that's what we agree to do.
The thing is, too much information is much worse than too little. If your audience is overwhelmed with ideas, they won't focus on any of them, but will simply tune them all out. Your job is to leave them with a message that is so powerful and relevant, they will not only remember it, but will want to pass it on to others. The only way to do that is to focus on one really big point.
It's all about simplicity. Your visuals, supporting evidence and ideas should all be simple. They should all support a single point. Anything that gets in the way of that point should be dispensed with, whether it's data on a slide, a video or a long and convoluted story.
The most interesting thing in any speech should be your big idea. Beware of overwhelming it with other points, complex information or a long explanation. Get to the big point quickly, hammer it home, and tell them again at the end. Job done! |
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Media interviews are often set up with an interviewer and two people with opposing views. The ensuing debate makes great TV (or radio), especially if discussions become heated. If you are one of the participants in a head-to-head interview, here are some tips on how to conduct yourself.
Firstly, do your homework. It will be easy to find what your opponent has said in the past, and you should use that to plan your response. However, you should also anticipate their likely line of argument in this case. Have a response ready for anything they may say.
Secondly, stick to your prepared position and back it up with evidence. Your job is to make sure that your message comes across, whatever the provocation. If your opponent makes a statement which is untrue, say so and explain why, but then move quickly back to your positive statement.
Thirdly, keep your cool. Both the interviewer and the other interviewee may put pressure on you. Do not shout, insult anyone or dismiss their arguments as invalid. Give reasons why you believe that your position is correct.
Lastly, prepare a pithy statement that summarises your position, and use it in your last answer (when the interviewer says "finally"). There's a 50/50 chance that yours will be the last response, but even if it isn't, your opponent will have little time to react. |
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Social Media Tip - You don't have to stay friends |
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On social media, it's common to want to collect as many connections, or friends as possible. Alas, there is a downside to that strategy. You may end up seeing a lot of posts on your feed that are of no interest to you, or may be annoying, prompting you to post a response. That's where things start to go wrong (and I speak from personal experience). A debate can get out of hand, taking up a lot of your time with no useful outcome. OK, you may feel better for having expressed your view, but it's unlikely that either of you will change your opinion.
I've noticed that a number of people are also approaching the Facebook limit of five thousand "friends", and are asking people to sever their connections to make room for others. That can get quite tricky too.
I've developed the habit of unfriending or disconnecting from people that I get into conflict with, or who are persistently trying to sell me something. I take action as soon as I sense that things are going wrong, and I have to say that I feel a lot better for it.
There's no need to feel guilty about unfriending people that you don't know anyway. You owe them nothing, and if they become a nuisance, it's best to act as quickly as possible, for the benefit of both of you. |
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Do you need to speak more effectively? |
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I can help. Just click the link |
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