Recently, the Planit PR team led a media training session with one of our clients, focusing on sharpening their 1:1 interview skills and walking through crisis scenarios from a comms perspective.
That session was a great reminder of something every organization should be thinking about in 2025: media training and crisis PR plans aren’t one-and-done. Not only are those trainings and plans an opportunity to refine in a way that’s reflective of the here and now, but media training and one’s skills, comfort and confidence are like a muscle that requires routine exercise.
Here’s why now is the time.
Media Interview Skills Are a Muscle You Need to Flex
You never know when your company will be thrust into the spotlight, and rusty or underprepared spokespeople are the last thing you want to be worrying about. Media training isn’t just about looking good on camera; it’s about nailing your key messages, bridging to what matters, and doing it calmly, if not seamlessly, under pressure.
Even experienced spokespeople need refreshers. New leaders are hired. People are promoted. Company priorities and key messaging changes. A once-a-year mock interview or key messaging drill keeps everyone sharp and calm when it counts.
If your team has been media trained before, a quick refresher can be done in just a few hours. You can set up a mock interview in a room with a camera and microphone, or test them over Zoom to practice with a different format.
4 Common Areas Where Even Seasoned Spokespeople Slip
In our recent mock interview training sessions, we found the most common feedback we had for the spokespeople was around these areas:
- Showing Confidence Through Body Language and Tone: Maintain a strong presence with open, engaged body language, a relaxed facial expression, and a confident tone. Be mindful of nervous tics and use purposeful hand gestures to emphasize points, within moderation.
- Framing Your Message Strategically and Clearly: Lead with key messages, avoid jargon, and structure responses thoughtfully. Reframe complex or sensitive topics with clarity and intention to keep the focus on the organization’s mission and values.
- Handling Tough Questions with Poise and Purpose: Stay composed, avoid speculation or defensive language, and never say “no comment.” Acknowledge concerns, then bridge to positive action or context.
- Reinforcing with Real Examples and Taking Time to Respond; Use data and real-world proof points to bring messages to life. Take a moment to pause and breathe before responding. This helps reduce filler words and ensures thoughtful, impactful delivery. However, avoid getting stuck in the weeds.
What’s Changed in Crisis Communications in 2025?
From cybersecurity threats and AI deepfakes to leadership changes and economic instability, the risks brands are facing in 2025 are more complex and fast-moving than ever.
The 2024 Digital Defense Report from Microsoft revealed a dramatic increase in global cyberattacks, with Microsoft customers enduring a daily onslaught of 600 million attacks from both cybercriminals and nation-state actors.
If your crisis plan hasn’t been revisited and updated in the last 12 months, it’s overdue. Your response scenarios should reflect the issues your industry is grappling with now, not just the ones from three years ago. That includes everything from employee activism to AI errors and social media blowback. If you’re not sure where to start, we recommend listing out possible scenarios and applying these questions to each one:
- Define the Crisis: What is the crisis? What are the risks/consequences if nothing is done or handled poorly? What specific outcomes do you want to neutralize or mitigate?
- List Key Stakeholder Groups: Who are the stakeholders likely to be affected? For each stakeholder group, what would reasonable people appropriately expect a responsible organization to do in such a situation? What do these stakeholders need to experience—to see, hear, or participate in—to believe you care?
- Plan Your Response: Identify specific steps you can take and things you can say to create this experience amongst your stakeholders. Identify who the most credible and effective person(s) is to engage each stakeholder group. (This may vary by stakeholder group.)
Real-Time Crisis Response: What Today’s Consumers Expect
The Crisis Clock Ticks (and TikToks) in Real Time
The old newscycle model — where journalists broke the story and organizations or brands had hours to prepare a response — no longer applies.
Today, news can break on Reddit before a reporter even files a story. Advocacy groups, watchdog accounts, or disgruntled employees can reach a large audience immediately through their social channels. A video can amass hundreds of thousands of views and comments within an hour. Consumers expect brands to respond quickly to social media inquiries, especially complaints or crises. This expectation is supported by multiple studies from Sprout Social, HubSpot, and Brandwatch, with desired response times ranging from 30 minutes to 6 hours, depending on who you ask. However, the average brand response time is around 24 hours, falling significantly short of consumer expectations.
That means your social team, legal team, and key spokespeople need to be ready to respond just as quickly, not just with a prepared press statement, but with coordinated messages across all relevant platforms.
Ask yourself:
- Is a social media response already part of your crisis PR plan?
- Do you have the tools to conduct social listening, and more so, are they active – and current?
- Are your monitoring tools capturing posts on Reddit, Threads, and other emerging channels?
- Are you picking up volume and sentiment trends early enough to respond with the right tone?
- Do you have a camera-ready spokesperson who could deliver a message directly to your social media audiences, if needed?
- If necessary, could you swiftly create a webpage to help manage incoming social media inquiries from consumers seeking additional information?
Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Test Your Team
Media training and crisis comms aren’t about perfection — they’re about preparation.
The brands that weather the storm best aren’t always the biggest. They’re the ones who’ve practiced. Who’ve asked the hard “what if” questions in advance. Who know how to stay on message, even when the heat is on.
Don’t wait until the spotlight is on your team to realize you’re not ready. Now is the time.
Quick Q&A: Media Training & Crisis Comms in 2025
Q: What is media training, and why is it important?
A: Media training helps spokespeople deliver clear, confident messages in interviews and crisis moments. It’s essential for staying on brand and protecting your reputation in today’s rapid news cycles.
Q: How do you prepare for a media interview?
A: Identify your key messages, rehearse bridging techniques, and practice with mock interviews. Use confident body language and avoid jargon to stay focused and effective under pressure.
Q: What should be included in a crisis communication plan?
A: Your plan should cover possible crisis scenarios, stakeholder messaging, trained spokespeople, media workflows, and real-time social media protocols. Review your crisis communications plan and update it at least annually.
Q: How should companies respond to a social media crisis?
A: Respond quickly—ideally within hours. Use empathetic, consistent messaging across platforms and avoid defensiveness. Assign a visible, trusted voice to address audiences directly if needed.
Q: What are examples of crisis communication gone wrong?
A: Late responses, tone-deaf messaging, or saying “no comment” can all damage trust. These mistakes often occur when plans are outdated or spokespeople lack proper training.