Media Training and Public Speaking Skills Taught by Experienced Professionals

Who We Are

The Media Skills Workshop is comprised of a team of professionals with many years experience in broadcast media, print journalism, public speaking, professional voice work, film and video production and psychotherapy. Our formal training and advanced degrees range from from communications and journalism to counseling psychology.

With our diverse backgrounds in media, strategic communications and psychotherapy we have been helping clients improve their communications skills for media appearances and speaking presentations for over two decades.

In our collective careers we have asked the tough questions in thousands of print and television interviews, directed CEOs and other leaders in government and industry for on-camera appearances, coached speechmakers for their presentations before audiences large and small, and helped hundreds overcome their fear of public speaking. We've also worked on political campaigns and with numerous organizations in designing their media strategies, crisis communications, and other strategic communications programs.

Our History

The Media Skills Workshop was founded by Michael Drake with a group of television news anchors, producers and print reporters in 1983. Since that time our program has evolved into one of the most comprehensive media training and presentation skills training programs in the country. Our client base reads like a Who's Who in American business, government, politics, and entertainment.

Our Training Philosophy

As we have found in life, there is no such thing as "one size fits all." Accordingly, there is no cookie-cutter approach for teaching communications skills. Thus, all our workshops are custom tailored to our clients' specific needs, issues, and skill levels. We work with each client to develop and perfect his or her individual style and build confidence in presentation skills - no matter the situation

Our objective is for you to become a more effective, dynamic and confident presenter for public speaking and media appearances. You will learn the methods of message design, speech organization, and how to formulate a communications agenda, as well as improved speech dynamics and how to overcome stage fright and other nervous habits. In the end, you will be a more competent and confident presenter, able to deliver your message in a clear, concise, and comprehensive manner in any situation.

On-Site Programs

We offer comprehensive programs in media skills training and presentation skills training & speech dynamics for groups and in one-on-one executive sessions. All our workshops are client-driven, meticulously researched and crafted to our clients' specific needs and issues. Accordingly, video-taped practice speeches and mock media interviews deal with your specific subject matter.

Our workshops are conducted at your location or one of your choosing. We also conduct workshops at conference centers and other facilities - at pass-through rates - for those who wish to be off-site. We provide the equipment the instruction, the workbooks, and a CD of each participant's video-taped performances.

Staff

Our principal trainer is Michael Drake, an award-winning television news journalist, producer-director of corporate image film and video, accomplished public speaker, formally trained narrator and experienced spokesperson.

Brad Smith is a seasoned print journalist who has traveled the world reporting on the changing geo-political situations, trends in business and industry, and government and politics. He is experienced in crisis communications and risk management, media relations, and corporate communications.

Other staff members come from the world of print and broadcast journalism, voice and speech, and psychotherapy.

Clients and Confidentiality

As our workshops are custom tailored to our clients' needs and specific issues we often deal with sensitive, and at times, classified information. (Two of our key trainers hold high level government security clearances.) As such we adhere to the strictest policy of client confidentiality and do not discuss client issues or other protected information under any circumstances - ever.

What Sets Us Apart

While many companies offer media training and courses in public speaking, none that we know of has the diversified professional expertise and experience as The Media Skills Workshop. Our professional backgrounds range from many years working in broadcast and print media to counseling psychology.

We combine our formal education and training along with our professional experience to deliver the most comprehensive media training and presentation skills training programs in the nation. Our objective is to make you a more polished, dynamic, and confident presenter.

At the conclusion of the workshop each participant comes away with greater knowledge, improved communications skills, and a new sense of confidence.

Our Guarantee

We offer a 100% customer satisfaction, money-back guarantee. After participation in a Media Skills Workshop you will have a noticeable improvement in your presentation skills, greater ability to formulate and communicate your ideas clearly, with improved dynamics and with more confidence and self-assurance. If not, we will refund the cost of the workshop (less out-of-pocket expenses incurred; travel, hotel, etc,) However, know that in 24 years of doing this we've never been asked.

The Programs to Help YOU Deliver

It's not just media skills; it's how to become an effective, dynamic speaker before the cameras or in front of an audience.

Learn more how you can be more dynamic in your presentations, be more effective in media interviews, develop media strategies for the unforeseen crisis, and greatly improve your overall communication skills. After all, “Nothing in life is more important than the ability to communicate effectively.”

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