Welcome to
 The Media Team Academy 2023/24

#Read | #Watch | #Learn | #Improve

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It’s time to renew your subscription
 to The Media Team Academy
 
We hope your comms team have enjoyed being part of the learning and development programme this year.
 
The latest Media Team Academy offers even more, with our new 'surgery sessions' feature allowing you to book quality time, for you and your team, with one of our journalist tutors.

We also have a whole new Masterclass schedule, access to even more online courses and a constant rolling schedule of new content.

Can anyone join The Media Team Academy?

As you know, The Media Team Academy is an exclusive community of comms professionals who want to improve and develop their careers.

During its first year, The Media Team Academy was joined by nearly 700 like-minded communications professionals from over 100 different organisations. And they came from a range of backgrounds, with department heads, comms directors, managers and comms officers among the ranks.

Price: £795 + VAT

12 month subscription

Already a member? Access your account by clicking here.

What is The Media Team Academy?

We’re pretty sure you know all the benefits by now. 

But it doesn’t hurt to remind you of all the features and highlight some new additions. 

The Media Team Academy is a community of comms and media professionals at different stages of their careers, who come together to learn, develop and feel inspired.

It is an invite-only programme designed to support, motivate, and energise teams, so you achieve your targets and ambitions and prove your value.

For a one-off yearly price of just £795 + vat, you and your media team of up to eight people get access to exclusive live video masterclasses, a growing number of online courses, including our new three-part crisis series and a hub of other resources and content.

The live masterclasses are led either by one of our current working journalist tutors, or by an accredited Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM) tutor. These will continue to cover media and communication skills, techniques and ideas on how you can better support your business and push your career forward.

Our leadership skills and coaching techniques will help with daily tasks, such as giving feedback to senior leaders, managing your workload, optimising health and well-being, resilience and career progression.

You and your team will also have access to our online ‘on-demand’ courses, offering you the chance to learn something new or refresh existing skills – like making smartphone videos, or our new three-part crisis series.

And, as if that’s not enough, new for this year our bespoke 'surgery sessions' will allow you to book a two-hour slot for you and your team with one of our media or coaching specialists. You can use this time to get expert advice and guidance on the communications and leadership issues you face  - more details below.
 
 As always, Media Team Academy members will continue to be able to access a dedicated and growing resource hub packed with articles and downloadable content, such as message development sheets and media interview preparation guides.

And with access to an exclusive chat function that allows you to message and connect with other Academy members, you’ll have advice and different opinions from your peers and our experts at your fingertips.

NEW THIS YEAR
Ask the expert surgery sessions

We believe all comms professionals should have the best opportunity to thrive.
So, we’ve added a new feature for members of The Media Team Academy this year – Ask the expert 'surgery sessions'.

These are bespoke sessions you can use to probe the expertise of our journalists, communication experts and leadership tutors to overcome problems and nurture skills.

They are there to support, motivate, inspire and share insight and recommendations.

Each comms team will be able to book a two-hour bespoke session with our team.

Use it to pick the brain of our experts on your communications conundrums and challenges or leadership and management dilemmas.

Simply let us know how and when you want to use the session, and we’ll find the right expert to help - consultancy without the cost.

2023 masterclass programme

This year we’ll continue our live media skills and personal development masterclasses.

Each month, we will run an hour-long high impact online interactive session.

Although best watched live - so you can get involved in the discussion and ask questions - we will also be recording them, enabling you to catch up later.

We want The Media Team Academy to be as interactive and beneficial as possible. So, you’ll have the option each month to vote for what we cover in these masterclass sessions. Once again, your input will be crucial to deciding what we cover, but here are some of the initial topics:

MEDIA SKILLS MASTERCLASS PROGRAMME

Our specially selected team of working journalists and expert media commentators guide you through the media and comms issues you may be grappling with, including... 
Measuring the stuff that matters
The power and pitfalls of broadcast PR
How to write op-eds that will get published
Getting started with podcasting 
Should newsjacking be part of your comms strategy?

How humour can improve your brand’s social media

How to turn data into compelling visual stories
Stakeholder comms

Media Skills Masterclass: Measuring the stuff that matters

How do you prove the value of your media work, campaigns and internal comms efforts?

Effective measurement is crucial for helping comms professionals understand their value and prove it to the c-suite.
And it is a vital part of comms planning, allowing you to better link comms aims to business objectives.
But knowing what you need to focus on can be tricky.

In this masterclass, we'll explore

  • Changing media consumption
  • Best practice in measurement
  • What success looks likes
  • How comms teams can prove their value in challenging economic times

Media Skills Masterclass: The power and pitfalls of broadcast PR

How can you make sure your campaign, new product or service reaches as many people as possible?

Broadcast media (TV and radio) reaches millions. But are they the right people?
If you want to reach decision-makers, securing a spot-on Radio 4’s Today programme could be crucial.
But that won’t always be the right audience.

How can you capture the interest of the right broadcast journalists for your message? And how can you ensure your spokespeople make the most of the opportunity radio and TV presents?

In this masterclass, we’ll explore: 

  • What you stand to gain by taking part in more broadcast interviews
  • Possible pitfalls and how to avoid them
  • What makes a great broadcast spokesperson
  • The importance of preparation
  • Creating strong messages for broadcast interviews
  • How to create opportunities

Media Skills Masterclass: How to write op-eds that will get published

So, you think you’ve got something interesting to say?

An op-ed can be a brilliant way of showcasing your expertise and thought leadership to millions of people. It can help you persuade, influence and change minds and hearts. In this masterclass, we will take you through everything you need to know to produce an op-ed publications will print.

We'll cover

  • Why op-eds remain a great communication tool
  • The planning that needs to take place before you put pen to paper
  • How to structure your op-ed and what you should include
  • How to pitch your finished article



Media Skills Masterclass: Getting started with podcasting 

Podcasts are booming. Smartphones have driven a renaissance for the audio format, and businesses are turning to them to add variety and bring a human voice to their content and brand.

There are now more than 4m podcasts registered around the world. And there are around 19 million podcast listeners in the UK. Listener predictions suggest the number will reach 28m by 2026.

So, shouldn’t podcasts be part of your comms and content strategies?


In this masterclass, we will look at:

  • What you need to know about creating a branded podcast
  • How you can make it stand out in a crowded marketplace
  • What makes a good podcast presenter
  • How to prepare your spokespeople to appear on a podcast


Media Skills Masterclass: Should newsjacking be part of your comms strategy?

Do you want to start conversations with new audiences?
Are you keen to be seen talking about key events and topical stories?

Maybe you want to secure coverage when you don’t have a new product or service to discuss.

Newsjacking – the art of taking advantage of news and current affairs to promote your brand – is an increasingly crucial part of the comms toolkit.

In this masterclass, we’ll take you through everything you need to know about newsjacking.

This session will include:

  • The brands that are doing newsjacking right
  • When you should use it and identifying the right angles for your brand
  • The importance of planning in being spontaneous
  • How to avoid alienating your audience in an increasingly divided world
  • The risks and when to avoid newsjacking
  • Is it worth the return on investment?




Media Skills Masterclass: How humour can improve your brand’s social media

Should you try and make people laugh on your social media accounts?

Humour can grab attention and propel your content to a much wider audience – look at the success of brands like Ryanair, Paddy Power and Aldi.

But it can be a gamble.

Can you use humour without upsetting and alienating your customers?

In this masterclass, we will look at:

  • The rewards of injecting humour into your social media
  • Whether it works for all brands
  • The risks
  • Whether brands need to be as bold with humour as Ryanair
  • And how you can handle the social media trolls


Media Skills Masterclass: How to turn data into compelling visual stories

We are constantly producing data.

Clive Humby, the architect of the Tesco Clubcard scheme, famously described data as “the new oil.”

And it is estimated each person on earth generates an average of about 1.7 MB of data per second – a figure that is probably hard to envisage.

That’s a lot of information – isn’t it time your business made better use of it?

In this masterclass, we will explore data visualisation and how you can incorporate data into your brand storytelling.

We’ll look at:

  • How you can turn your data into infographics and sound-bites that you can use in your campaigns, internal comms, presentations and content marketing material.
  • Where to find data
  • How to uncover the stories in it
  • How to present data to different audiences


Media Skills Masterclass:
Stakeholder comms: creating clear, consistent messages across all audiences

Where do media relations and PR merge with stakeholder management?

Do you have a separate team managing stakeholder comms?

Or is your team responsible for communicating with internal stakeholders (staff), investor relations, volunteers, customers and member organisations?

How can you ensure your messaging is consistent across all teams?

Should you communicate with stakeholders before the media?

We all know it's best to target your content, message and tone to each specific audience.
But this is challenging when time is short, budgets are tight, and resources stretched.

In this masterclass, we will look at:


  • The importance of audience profiling
  • How surveys and questionnaires can help you ensure you are communicating effectively with each audience
  • The question of timing and defining a clear company-wide process

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT MASTERCLASS PROGRAMME

Our personal development programme is designed to develop talent, inspire fresh ideas and help you overcome personal obstacles and challenges, all under the guidance of leadership and management coaches from The BCF Group.
Mental well-being at work 
How can you conquer imposter syndrome?
How can you become a better public speaker?
Your essential guide to change comms

Personal Development Masterclass: Mental well-being at work

How big is your ‘to-do’ list? Working in comms, it is probably pretty long.
But you can’t afford to let your mental health – and that of your colleagues – slip down the priority list.

In this masterclass, we will explore how we can all better look after our mental health. And how we can help others.

The session will include:

  • Warning signs you or someone else is struggling with their mental health
  • The impact of poor mental health on absenteeism, morale and engagement
  • Attitudes to mental health
  • Building personal resilience
  • The boundaries for managers in supporting the mental health of their team members

Personal Development Masterclass: How can you conquer imposter syndrome?

Do you find it difficult to share your thoughts and opinion in meetings?

Do you feel uncomfortable sharing your comms expertise with senior leaders?

Maybe you feel you are overachieving and are waiting to be found out.

Feelings like this are not unusual. We all suffer from them from time to time.
But how do you overcome them, stop them from becoming persistent and prevent them from holding you back?

In this masterclass, we will explore:

  • How you can overcome your imposter syndrome
  • Helping others in your team who suffer from it
  • And how you can help your media spokespeople overcome imposter syndrome

Personal Development Masterclass: How can you become a better public speaker?

Who likes public speaking?

For many of us, it is the stuff of nightmares. Our hearts race, palms sweat, and there’s a horrible feeling in the pit of our stomachs.

But virtually all of us have to present, pitch or give speeches as part of our jobs. So, wouldn’t it be better to feel more confident and be a braver public speaker?

In this masterclass, we will take you through everything you need to be a better presenter, whether it is face-to-face or online.

We’ll cover:

  • How you can build your confidence, overcome stage fright and control nerves
  • How to structure and prepare your presentation
  • How to grab your audience’s attention
  • How to use stories and anecdotes to compel and persuade your audience
  • The question of questions – dealing with unexpected and awkward audience questions



Personal Development Masterclass: Your essential guide to change comms

How good is your organisation at communicating change?

People hate the word ‘change’. There is the fear of the unknown.

There can be feelings of defensiveness about why the old way is no longer considered good enough.

And people worry they may not have the skills and competence for the new way of working.

There is also often a feeling that change leads to more work. And this makes communicating change a tough challenge.

In this masterclass, we’ll explore:

  • The myths surrounding change
  • Whether there is a risk communication of relatively minor changes can make them feel huge
  • Change communication theory and techniques for reducing resistance to change
  • How and why you should communicate change

What else is included in your subscription?

Online, on-demand, training courses

Academy members also get access to our online, on-demand, training courses (normally worth £195 each). These are available whenever and wherever you need them and can be completed on a PC, Mac, Tablet or Smart Phone.

As a member your team will have 12 user licenses. You can use these to refresh your presentation skills, learn how to make brilliant videos on your smartphone, or discover more about business coaching skills. The choice is yours.

The choice of courses already includes those below, but we are also working on more.
These will be released to academy members as they become available through the year.

  • Media skills (refresher)
  • How to film and edit like a pro on your mobile
  • Essential crisis management
  • Identifying positive media stories
  • Presentation and personal impact skills
  • How to write engaging content
  • Three-part crisis series

Academy resource hub

You’ll also have access to a dedicated academy resource hub.

Here, you can take your pick from more than 80 learning resources and communication aids to support your development and help you tackle everyday tasks.

The hub is constantly growing and is packed with eBooks, webinars, downloadable templates, case studies and blogs.

Collaborative community

As an academy member, you’ll have access to a chat function that allows you to ask the group – including our experts - anything.

What does this mean? Well, if you need some advice from someone outside your organisation about a particular topic or challenge, then why not ask a peer on the chat.

We can’t promise you’ll get the answer to everything, but sometimes just having someone different people to run an idea past can make the difference.

Additional member-only discounts

As if all of this is not enough, Media Team Academy members will also benefit from an exclusive discount of 20 per cent off leadership skills and interpersonal skills courses run by our sister company, The BCF Group. 

And a 30 per cent discount code for any additional Media First online-only courses.

So what are you waiting for?
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We'll be in touch to collect and confirm the details of your Media Team Academy members.

We'll have all of your team members set up and ready to go from the beginning of January 2023.

Frequently asked questions

If I apply am I guaranteed membership?

If you were a member of The Media Team Academy during 2022, then you will automatically qualify for membership in any subsequent years.

We want to continue to ensure that we build a collaborative and supportive community that represents a broad spectrum of industries, skills and experience levels. All new member applications will continue to be reviewed on this basis.

What if we have less or more than 8 people in the media team?

Membership to The Media Team Academy allows you to give access to up to 8 team members.

The price remains the same even if you have fewer team members - it just means that your team will benefit from access to more of our courses.

If you have a larger team please get in touch to discuss your requirements.

How can the 12 licenses for online courses be used? 

We will give the lead user a 100 per cent discount code which can be used 12 times.

It may be that you choose to share these out equally amongst your team - or perhaps you have one individual who would benefit from accessing multiple courses. It really is up to you.

When does the 12 month subscription start and end?

The latest Media Team Academy will be available from the 3rd January 2023.

If you renew your subscription now, it will be automatically turned on from this date and lasts until the end of 2023.

If you renew your subscription later, it will start the day you pay for access and receive your unique login credentials and ends 12 months later.

How can I book a surgery session?

Use the surgery section to view our expert's calendar and book an available time slot. You will automatically receive a calendar confirmation and a zoom link. 

You can only book one session per calendar year and once you have confirmed your time, this session is unfortunately not changeable.

We much prefer to use Zoom for these sessions, but if your organisation can only use Teams then this will be possible by prior arrangement. Simply book your slot as usual and then get in touch with us and we will make it work for you.

We will contact you before the session and ask you to provide some more details on how you would like to use the time. At this point you will be able to send us any supporting information that will help us prepare for the session.

These sessions are designed for Media Team Academy members only and therefore can be attended by up to 8 of your registered team (per subscription). 

If you would like to take advantage of this feature, your two hours must be used during your twelve month subscription and cannot roll over. 

How many users, online courses, masterclasses and surgery sessions will I get during my subscription.

One subscription to The Media Team Academy gives up to eight members of your team access.

You will also receive twelve 100 per cent discount codes to our range of online courses. These can be shared as you wish across your team.

We will deliver twelve media skills or personal development masterclasses across the twelve months of your subscription.

All surgery sessions are two hours long. These can only be used once during your subscription. You do not have to use the full two hours, but we are unable to break the time down into smaller chunks.