Strategic Media Engagement

Overview

Build editorial authority and strategic media relationships at the highest level.

The difference between good media coverage and great media coverage is strategy. This course is for senior communicators who want to move beyond reactive press handling to shape how their organisation is covered at an editorial level. You will learn to design media campaigns, build journalist relationships strategically, drive thought leadership, manage a high-functioning press office and handle sensitive situations with professional judgment.

Advanced media dynamics and strategic engagement, building editorial authority and thought leadership, ethics and professional standards in media relations, and supporting and managing spokespeople.

Every session runs in a small, boardroom-format group — typically six to eight senior professionals. Your trainer tailors content to the specific industries, organisations and challenges each participant brings, so you work on real situations, not generic examples. The learning combines evidence-based best practice briefings with structured discussions, practical workshops and peer learning. This is training with a coaching and consulting flavour — focused on building skills and producing outputs you can apply in your work immediately.

• Design and execute sophisticated media relations strategies across multiple channels
• Build editorial authority and position your organisation as a credible source
• Drive thought leadership through strategic media engagement
• Manage and develop a high-performing press office operation
• Plan and execute professional press conferences and media events
• Support, brief and manage spokespeople effectively for media encounters
• Handle sensitive media situations with sound professional judgment
• Engage with journalists strategically at a senior editorial level

• Navigating the charged relationship between PR and the media
• Balancing tactics and strategy
• Trends and developments in media relations tactics
• Online media relations

• Building authority in the media
• Thought leadership
• Stimulating and managing third party advocacy
• Issues-led media relations: planned opportunism
• Tricky situations, and how to handle them

This module deals with why and how communications professionals can and ought to "do the right thing" in dealings with the media.

• Managing the reputation of the reputation managers
• Universal codes and principles of ethics as applied to PR
• Veracity, harm avoidance, beneficence, confidentiality and fairness

This module covers how to prepare senior spokespeople to perform well in media interviews, from the perspective of a communication director.

• Media insight
• Analysing the news landscape
• Practical messaging for interviews
• Q&A and briefing documents

This course is for communication managers and directors with existing media relations experience who want to operate at a strategic and editorial level. It is designed for professionals who manage press office teams, advise leadership on media strategy, or shape how their organisation engages with journalists.

One day face-to-face
· Two half-days live online

All prices exclude local VAT where applicable

Adam Kirtley

Senior media trainer and broadcast journalist

Veteran presenter and reporter with 30+ years' BBC experience. Presents on BBC Radio 4 and Five Live. Trains executives in media interviews, crisis communication and public speaking.

Nick Walshe

Senior media consultant and crisis communication trainer

Senior media consultant with 30+ years' international broadcast experience. BBC-trained, former ITV, ITN and Al Jazeera English. Clients include IKEA, Huawei, Qatar Airways, JP Morgan and UAE Central Bank. Specialises in media skills and crisis communications.

Broadcast journalist, presenter and media trainer

Experienced journalist, presenter and media trainer with 20 years in radio, TV and film. Former BBC journalist and Dubai One TV host. Currently freelance producer…