• The Colab
  • Posts
  • The Colab Brief - 145: The Media Training Reboot đź“ą- Rethinking the Exec Interview

The Colab Brief - 145: The Media Training Reboot đź“ą- Rethinking the Exec Interview

Welcome to The Colab Brief

Author

Ash + Lizzy
November 23, 2024

In partnership with

Read Time: 3 minutes

Remember when executives could control nearly every aspect of their media appearances? Polished interviews, prepped questions, carefully-curated messaging. We hate to be the ones to tell you, but those days are GONE. 

How do we know? Look at the 2024 Presidential campaigns. Goodbye to broadcast interviews; hello to long-form podcasts. The entire vibe shifted from mass media mediums to things that were a little…grittier. Even more surprising? The power dynamic changed. 

When Kamala Harris's team approached Joe Rogan for an interview, they came with their usual requirements – travel to her location, keep it to an hour, follow their preferred format. Rogan's response? A simple "no."

This wasn't just any declination. When the Vice President of the United States can't dictate terms to a podcast host, you know the media landscape has fundamentally changed.

Welcome to the New Normal 🌟

Top media influencers have built their own universes, complete with their own gravitational pulls. Why do they have this power?

  • They've built massive, engaged audiences who trust them

  • Their formats are proven and consistent

  • They don't need traditional power players anymore

  • Their audiences value authenticity over polish

The implications? The old "my way or the highway" approach to media isn't just outdated – it's actively harmful to your strategy.

Why Traditional Media Training Is Failing 🎯

Traditional media training was built for a different world:

  • 30-second soundbites

  • Message bridging techniques

  • Controlled environments

  • Print-focused preparation

But here's the reality: When your CEO sits down for a two-hour video podcast, no amount of message bridging will save them if they can't engage in authentic conversation. The audience can smell inauthenticity from a mile away. 

Finding the Right Balance ⚖️

Smart executives are developing a dual skill set. Think of it as being bilingual in media – you need both languages.

Traditional Skills That Still Matter:

  • Message discipline for earnings calls

  • Crisis communications precision

  • Structured board presentations

  • Stakeholder management

New Skills Required:

  • Long-form conversation stamina

  • Authentic storytelling abilities

  • Platform-specific presence

  • Comfort with uncertainty

The key? Know which toolkit to deploy and when. A quick broadcast interview requires a different treatment than a podcast conversation. Successful spokespeople are able to easily adapt to their audience. 

The Bottom Line đź’ˇ

The media holds the power, and it's not shifting back. Success requires:

  • Understanding you're a guest in someone else's house

  • Preparing differently (think conversation fluency vs. talking points)

  • Developing authentic storytelling abilities

  • Maintaining traditional skills while building new ones

The question isn't whether to adapt – it's how quickly you can embrace this new reality while keeping the best of what traditional media training taught us.

Until next time -

Like The Colab Brief?

The Daily Newsletter for Intellectually Curious Readers

If you're frustrated by one-sided reporting, our 5-minute newsletter is the missing piece. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you comprehensive, unbiased news—free from political agendas. Stay informed with factual coverage on the topics that matter.