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.

These last couple of months have been so crazy that the Easter bunny and the March Hare might just come bouncing into my life.  Media training has been hectic with Pfizer, Pfizer Middle East, Eskom, Supercare and Metropolitan being put through their paces.

In between there’s been media crises with clients – so what’s new I guess as well as training at 702 Talk Radio.

For my Sunday Times Lifestyle column ‘What I’ve Learnt’, I’ve had tea with and interviewed our wonderful Public Prosecutor, Thuli Madonsela, chatted with the first lady of song, Sibongile Khumalo and had the pleasure of being serenaded whilst interviewing Sipho Hotstix Mabuse – the last two you’ll have to watch the column for in the next couple of months…

It was also that time of year when I got to judge the National Press Club Awards which were presented at a glittering event also honouring the Newsmakers of the Year – Thuli Madonsela, who I was delighted to see again – and Julius Malema…  He had initially turned down the invitation to receive this award, which by the way isn’t judged or voted for – it’s simply computer generated as to who was in the news the most in 2011.  On the eve of the event he called our Chairman, Yusuf Abramjee to say he’d had a change of heart and he’d attend, which he did, arriving an hour early!  Maybe this is really a new Julius – oh, who’s kidding…

Very exciting news is that Pfizer have kindly agreed to sponsor another year of Mental Health Journalism Awards and there may even be a further announcement of involvement from another large player in the health field soon – so watch this space.

I’m thrilled to be working again on Future Ed – the incredible educational Expo, presented by Exposure Marketing, the team that makes MamaMagic, the Baby Expo (and one of my favourite projects) for their upcoming Expo’s.  If you’re an educator, parent or parent body then you can’t miss this event – www.future-ed.co.za.

So I look forward to more challenges and excitement in the next few months – meanwhile Happy Easter everyone.

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.

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.