The Media Trainers®

"Anyone who talks about you...or your business...is media!"

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The Media Trainers®

4220 Cove Court, NE
Marietta, GA 30067
770-971-6619

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Can’t Get a Straight Answer
Ever seen, heard or read an interview and said out loud "Huh?" Perhaps you recall that Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher abruptly resigned and left the company. Why? Well, that’s an interesting question, one very hard to get a straight answer to from company executives. Stonecipher had an affair with a female Boeing employee. On its face, that would seem to be cause for Stonecipher’s exit. But, not quite. Or maybe it was. However, not really. Confused?	Boeing chairman Lew Platt and the company’s interim CEO, James Bell
So was Executive Rewind after watching this interview with Boeing chairman Lew Platt and the company’s interim CEO, James Bell. Neil Cavuto tried to get to the bottom of it on the Fox News Channel program, Your World. But even Neil’s superb interview skills could not get a straight answer. Chairman Platt said an affair, even by the CEO with a co–worker, was not a firing offense. However, he added, Stonecipher used poor judgment, and for that, he was dismissed. Well, what are you trying to say then, Mr. Platt? Does that mean having the affair was poor judgment, but the act is excusable? Platt refused to be pinned down. The result: Boeing, a company still recovering from a couple of other scandals prior to this one, appeared to be internally off balance and unsure. It was not a great performance for an audience that included industry analysts and stockholders, not to mention the company’s own employees.
*The Media Trainers®* Re–winder Reminder: Prepare. Make sure you know what you’re going to say, especially in a crisis, before you meet the press. You’re not helping anyone, especially you or your business, if all you can say is what you can’t say. If you’re raising more questions than you answer, you’re giving longer life to the story. While *TMT* believes it’s always preferable to talk to the media, person–to–person, sometimes, especially in personnel matters like this, a prepared statement will have to do.
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Over 25 years of local & network news reporting and management experience
- Comprehensive knowledge of how media work and how to work with the media
- Managed more than 50 people
- Able to spot and develop talent
  - Hired and developed syndicated talk hosts Sean Hannity and Clark Howard and several news reporters who have gone on to network positions
  - Successfully molded and directed individuals into award winning broadcasters; more than 40 international, national, regional and statewide awards
- An understanding of running a business
  - Managed a seven figure budget
Deep experience in customized training
- TMT has conducted more than 450 workshops and consulting sessions with over 90 clients. Workshops are designed around the needs of each participant based on:
  - Their specific role inside the organization
  - Their available time for training
  - Their comfort level
  - Their level of experience dealing with the media
  - The type of interview(s) they will be doing
- Depending on your needs, our training will include:
  - Media skills built around The Media Trainers® 10 Rules of Interviewing™.
  - Tough questions preparations focusing on the most difficult inquiries reporters are apt to make.
  - Message development that gets your team "on message" to avert a crisis, diffuse an issue or promote your company.
  - Role playing, mock interviews and video clips drawn from our extensive library.
Attention to detail
- A Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company executive:
  - "A training program where somebody spoke our language, prepared materials that reflected our business needs, and gave us just the right amount of useful materials."
- A Coca-Cola Company executive:
  - "I was significantly impressed by the pertinent and well-researched, well prepared questions. Much better than my Proctor & Gamble training."
- A Southern Company executive:
  - "I believe that this training was right on target to what we needed. The trainer was well prepared, not only for our industry, but also our project subject matter. Thanks!"
- A Georgia Power Company executive:
  - "Trainer obviously knows our business and was excellent in identifying the areas we may be presented with while dealing with the media."
- A Mirant executive:
  - "I was very impressed with the prep work done by the trainer relating to our business. Our industry is complex and he quickly adjusted to our local (Canada) issues."
- An AGL Resources executive:
  - "Your training is straightforward and completely accomplished my objectives. Thank you for the open, honest feedback and relaying real life experiences."
Exclusive Tools Transferred to You
- Through hundreds of training sessions and constant refinement, we have developed a set of proprietary media and communications training tools that are fast and easy to use. Our kit creates message structure, and makes your communications tangible and focused on results. Proprietary communications tools include:
  - TMT's 10 Rules of Interviewing™
  - TMT's Exposure Grid™
  - TMT's 30 Minute News Interview Planner™

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Can’t Get a Straight Answer

Boeing chairman Lew Platt and the company’s interim CEO, James Bell

The Media Trainers® Re–winder Reminder:

The Media Trainers® Advantage

Over 25 years of local & network news reporting and management experience

Deep experience in customized training

Attention to detail

Exclusive Tools Transferred to You

Executive Rewind

TMT’s eNewsletter