Media Training Consulting and Writing Skills Courses

Very few companies have people who can actually write readable work.  I can write and more importantly, simplify anything from marketing material to reports and internal and external communications.  Remember you only get one chance to get a message across so good writing is essential.  I can also advise you in any dealings with the media.

Writing Training

Media Mentors’ writing training courses are designed to give people the tools to improve their written work.

Media Training

My media training for media interviews is an essential skill for anyone who has to deal with journalists, whether on radio, television or print.

Firstly I want to wish all my wonderful clients, associates and friends a very happy and healthy 2012.  After two months in the fairest Cape it’s good to be back in buzzy Johannesburg ready for action.

Judging by the training requests that are already coming in more and more companies are seeing the value of training their staff to reach their maximum potential.  Staff represent the face of a company and people form their impressions of an organisation from these people.  

One of the great joys of my job is definitely writing for the Sunday Times Lifestyle column ‘What I’ve Learnt’.  Last week’s issue featured the legendary South African explorer, Kingsley Holgate who was an absolute pleasure to interview.  The sad thing is I only get to spend a few hours at the most with these people but I try and store the memories along with their words.

I also had the immense privilege to interview Albie Sachs – to some a terrorist but to many a freedom fighter.  The amazing thing was I got to interview him on the very day Government were sitting to decide on passing the dreadful new media laws.  He was unable to officially comment but his face told a thousand words.  But he was confident that the one thing the closest to his heart, the Constitution would ultimately save this bill from going through.  I only hope he is correct.  This interview will be featured very shortly followed closely by CEO of Discovery Health, Adrian Gore.
I still continue to work both in radio and television which certainly keeps me abreast of the incredibly fast changing face of technology and the effect this has on the way we deal with media.  This year will see even more changes in terms of the way we use technology and I know that my iPhone and iPad have totally changed the way I work!

A large project for me this year is ghostwriting (therefore no name) a book on a fascinating Cape Town businessman, who went from below zero to sky high – watch this space…

Once again all the best to everyone for 2012 – make it count!

Winter for me flew by in a whirl of work. Firstly non-stop around the country conducting courses on corporate writing, newsletter writing and media training which hopefully left those involved with a greater sense of what people want to read as well as how to deal with media – always a tricky issue.

Glorious spring sees no let-up to the flow of work – and interesting work at that. From government to NGO’s to corporate – life is never dull in the world of media and training.

My Sunday Times column continues to offer me unique opportunities to interview great South Africans. This last couple of months I’ve had face to face interviews with legends such as Pik Botha, Hugh Masekela and Paul Slabolepszy – what an adventure.

Being able to ask Pik Botha about his relationship with P.W. Botha and the infamous Rubicon speech as well as discussing Hugh Masekela’s jamming with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie and Louis Armstrong – there are no words for it.

By far the most important happening in the last month revolves around my time at The Carter Center (http://www.cartercenter.org/health/mental_health/index.html). This was South Africa’s last official visit as part of their involvement in Mrs Rosalyn Carter’s Mental Health Journalism Programme.

Since 2004 we have sent fourteen South African journalists, from print as well as electronic media, to The Carter Center in Atlanta to partake in this programme. Not only have they come back enriched and enthused from their time there exposed to Mrs Carter’s Mental Health Advisory Board, but also able to make valuable contributions to this much needed field of journalism in South Africa.