10 Tips to Mastering the Television Interview
Discover how to be better at dealing with the media, especially doing TV interviews!
Media Skills Training Mastering the Television Interview
Are you winning the media game?
Is your message getting across through the media?
Discover how to be better at dealing with the media, especially doing TV interviews.
A good reason to do media training for Mastering the Television Interview is that it can save time, money, and stress by updating your skills before the media calls.
Mastering the Television Interview
As I travel around the world I always enjoy sampling the media in different countries.
Even if I don’t speak Thai, Bahasa, or Mandarin, watching local news services always provides a unique insight into the local culture.
I was recently watching a story on a new biotech company on Channel News Asia in Singapore. The story had interviews with both the China-based CEO and biotech venture capitalists in Singapore.
One of the visual images that struck me was how professional, persuasive, and powerful the Chinese CEO looked compared to the Singapore interviewees.
The simple difference in Mastering the Television Interview was that the Chinese CEO was wearing a dark suit jacket whereas the Singapore-based talent simply had on a tie and white shirt.
Attention to detail like this can make or break your image and ability to persuade others.
Top 10 Tips For Mastering the Television Interview
1. Avoid the phrase “I think”
This phrase weakens the impact of your message and sound bite. It adds no value and should be avoided.
2. Always wear a dark jacket for business interviews
Always have on hand a dark jacket to wear for TV interviews. This will give your body shape conveying confidence, credibility, and charisma.
3. Avoid white shirts without jackets
A white shirt without a jacket is going to make your head look like a pale, washed-out balloon floating around the screen. Avoid this unless you have a great tan or dark complexion.
4. Lean slightly forward toward the camera
That great Western Australian-born TV communicator, artist, and inventor of the wobble board, Rolf Harris was a master at creating intimacy with viewers by subtle changes to the angle of his head in relation to the TV camera.
Leaning forward slightly will give you more presence and intimacy, as well as making you look thinner.
5. Avoid looking directly at the camera
Having been a TV weather presenter, looking directly at a TV camera to deliver messages is a really challenging skill.
Avoid looking directly at the camera unless you’re a seasoned pro.
6. Look at the interviewer
Look directly at the journalist to avoid ‘wandering eyes’ syndrome. Looking around furtively will make you appear shifty and untrustworthy.
7. Always control the background visuals
Control the background of your TV interview with the message you want to convey. Your logo flashed up behind you for 7 seconds can be worth upwards of $50,000 in free branding.
8. Work on your “quotable quote”
Your media message must be succinct, memorable, and to the point.
9. Avoid milk, caffeine, and alcohol
Milk will clog up your mouth and caffeine and alcohol will dull your senses and make you want to go to the toilet.
Stick to water and make sure you are fully hydrated.
10. Practice
Nothing improves your skills more than rehearsing, practicing, and then reviewing your performance. Improving your understanding of communication will also help, such as learning about the seven barriers to communication.
This article was contributed by Thomas Murrell
Mastering the Television Interview
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