Media training in 2026: what to do differently

Personality, adaptability and purpose are becoming the new buzzwords for business spokespeople as audience expectations shift in an ever-changing media landscape.

But the biggest mistake leaders still make with media training is preparing for the interview, not the audience. Techniques designed to deflect, bridge or stay rigidly on script now do more harm than good – because credibility in 2026 is earned through openness, not control.

In years gone by, media training focused on delivering well-rehearsed soundbites and developing techniques to combat negative questions. Business leaders were encouraged to project a steely, robust version of themselves in interview, in the belief that visible strength would inspire trust.

However, modern communication tastes and trends demand a different approach – and media training now looks very different in 2026. Even executives who trained earlier in their career should be thinking about how to bring that learning up to date.

How the communications environment is changing

• A wider variety of platforms which require bespoke messaging,
• More media interviews on Teams or Zoom than in person.
• Fewer accredited journalists and dwindling print circulations – but rising numbers of niche publications, podcasts and blog opportunities.
• A greater importance placed on genuine thought leadership by search engines and AI summaries.
• Rising demand for leaders to be visible and transparent.
• Increased focus on purpose and ethics.
• Rising influence of AI on communications – increasing the value of human expert content.

How to deliver in media interviews: updated top tips

1. Be a real, honest person

Media training now focuses on helping executives and thought leaders be their real self in interviews, winning trust through transparency, honesty and empathy rather than through a power struggle with a journalist.

Explaining honestly why you cannot answer a question (instead of refusing to answer it or using a politician’s bridging technique to avoid answering it) is increasingly prioritised.

2. Put your values on show

Spokespeople who share their values and allow the public to ‘get to know them’ a little achieve better cut through.

In a digital world in which the public looks for answers across multiple channels, they want to find people they can believe in and connect with.

So, having a visible purpose, one that you are passionate about, is now a major plus in terms of both reputation and reach. It may even mean you are more quickly forgiven when you do make mistakes.

3. Build a better relationship with journalists

There’s evidence of a thawing in relationships with journalists as the media environment changes and expectations of spokespeople evolve.

There will always be journalists that deliberately look for negative angles and negative stories, but modern spokespeople are learning that building relationships and reducing attrition is a better way of mitigating that possibility.

By building relationships with journalists (often with the help of a PR partner) it’s possible to create a more positive environment for interviews.

Talk to your interviewer, ask them about themselves, connect with them on LinkedIn. Treat them like a human being.

4. Adapt your message across formats

Knowing your audience and speaking their language has always been a priority but as the number of media platforms grows, it is crucial in 2026.

It is obvious that you cannot speak the same way to a focused business audience on LinkedIn as you do to a more a B2C audience on Facebook. But there are now nuances everywhere.

Whether speaking as a contributor on an industry podcast, joining a debate on Times Radio, writing a personal blog or being interviewed on regional television, spokespeople need to be able to adapt their message adroitly.

Audiences respond best when they feel the speaker understands their problems (and ideally helps solve them).

5. Communicate all the time – not only in a crisis

In its early days, media training was primarily designed to prepare CEOs and Managing Directors in how to communicate during a crisis.

The modern reality, however, is that businesses which only communicate when things go wrong are on a hiding to nothing – because reputation in 2026 is decided before a crisis, not during it.

There will always be extra scrutiny on how a business responds when things go wrong and it remains important to learn how to handle it.

But leaders who have been invisible until dragged into interview to save the day are likely to be judged far more harshly.

It works the same on social media. If nobody follows your account and nobody links to your profile, how can you expect them to listen when you really need to be heard?

Media training is therefore crucial – and rather than being seen as a board-level add-on should be considered as a natural part of career progression.

What effective media training can include:

• Learn how to keep messages clear and concise but without sounding like you are reading out a script.
• Practice adding personality and empathy to your answers to make them feel real.
• Understand what you want to achieve from a media interview and how it can positively impact your strategy.
• Prepare for hostile or ambiguous questions by thinking about how you answer them honestly, not by returning the aggression.
• Understand the journalist’s objective, not just your own, by learning how they think.
• Work on techniques to remove filler words that can get in the way of clear communication.
• Adapt tone and framing across formats without losing consistency.
• Learn techniques to ensure audiences hear and remember your most important messages
• Explore techniques to relax in interview and to remain calm when under pressure.
• Identify opportunities for you to improve your performance in interview.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Talking too fast – and for too long – so that nobody remembers what your message was.
2. Over-rehearsed answers that sound stilted and then collapse under follow-up.
3. Treating all interviews as brand messaging opportunities rather than as an opportunity to connect.
4. Being aggressive or angry in interview.
5. Using so many filler words – err, umm, you know – that your message gets lost.
6. Underestimating niche or trade media to focus only on bigger fish.
7. Jargon: using language that your audience doesn’t understand (or talking too simply to an audience that wants greater depth of insight).
8. Failing to show empathy in interview or failing to understand what your audience is going through.

Media training example

Having the confidence to be yourself in interview is key to delivering a performance that resonates with a target audience. However, nerves often drive spokespeople to talk too fast and to appear disconnected.

One client arrived for media training with a buoyant personality but was hit by nerves in the first practice interview and struggled to get her real self across.

After coaching and practice, she ended the day by acing a filmed interview and leaving the building with a spring in her step.

Coaching, practice and slowing down your delivery can be the key to improving performance and transforming confidence.

Three key takeaways:

1. Genuine credibility and personality now matter more than a polished performance.
2. Preparation for honest answers to difficult questions now tops learning key messages by heart.
3. Having a purpose – and authenticity – is key to connecting with a modern audience

Explore Midnight’s media training service here.

About the author

Chris Hatherall, Strategy & Content Director: experienced PR professional specialising in communications strategy, expert copywriting and media training.