Media Training for Faculty and Staff

The University Communications and Marketing office is offering media training tips to faculty and staff – basic information on why it’s important to respond to journalists, how the process works and how to handle interviews.

As the university continues to grow, it seeks to raise its profile regionally and nationally. One of the best ways to do that is through the media. And journalists know that the best sources for expertise on any subject are faculty members who are superb teachers.

Faculty, staff and even students may wonder why their important work, research or time is being taken up by pesky reporters. Well, the short answer is that colleges and universities have a legal and ethical responsibility to tell the public what goes on within its classrooms and laboratories.

Additionally, media provide crucial links to constituencies that higher education must reach. Groups such as alumni, present and future students and their families, politicians, corporate leaders, donors both current and potential, colleagues at other universities and fellow faculty and staff are exposed to media reports. So promoting news from the University of West Georgia helps give a variety of consumers a better picture of what UWG has to offer.

Having faculty and staff members who are accessible to the media is invaluable. UCM’s media training tips will offer general guidelines on how to deal with the media. For instance, most media interviews are rarely confrontational and the reporter usually has a real interest in the subject. Interviews generally take about 20 minutes, frequently less, on a few occasions maybe more. Remember that your ultimate goal is to publicize a research project or make your area of expertise better understood by the general public. A half hour spent with a reporter can reap benefits for years to come.

Please join us for one of the following media training sessions:

Wed., Sept. 2, 9 – 9:50 a.m., Pafford Hall, room 102

Thur., Sept. 10, 9 - 9:50 a.m., Humanities Building, room 228

Mon., Sept. 14, 4 – 4:50 p.m., Pafford Hall, room 107

Tues., Sept. 22, 4 - 4:50 p.m., Pafford Hall, room 302

For more information, contact Rob Douthit in University Communications and Marketing at 678-839-5495 or rdouthit@westga.edu.