Why Great Public Speakers Still Struggle in Media Interviews
- Bulletproof Staff
- Apr 5
- 3 min read
You’ve seen executives command ballrooms full of industry leaders. They nail keynote speeches, walk confidently across stages, and hold audiences in the palm of their hand. Yet, when you place the same person in front of a journalist, the energy shifts.
Even though public speaking and media interview, they are two very different performance arenas. That’s not a sign of incompetence. It’s a sign that media training demands a different skill set and even seasoned public speakers need it.
Let’s unpack why this disconnect happens and what you can do about it:
Control in Public Speaking vs. Lack of Control in Interviews
In a keynote or presentation, you control everything: the script, the pace, the visuals, and the room dynamics, but media interviews are not designed to be like that. Journalists set the tone, control questions, and even create tough situations without warning.
As a CEO or executive, you are expected to think on your feet, deliver sound bites that can go live without editing. Without media training, you’ll find yourself overthinking or underplaying your words.
You Can’t Rehearse Everything
While you can ask the journalist to provide their set of questions before the interview, there’s no guarantee that they’ll ask them during the actual meeting. Reporters might challenge facts, reframe questions, or veer into uncomfortable territory. If your responses sound rehearsed, they risk coming off as inauthentic or evasive.
Body Language and Camera Awareness
Media settings, especially during virtual interviews, you can’t read the audience’s faces or reactions to change your words or the topic. Many speakers feel like they’re “talking into a void.”
Facial expressions and posture also matter more on camera. A single raised eyebrow or long pause gets amplified. Executives used to commanding attention must now focus on subtle cues like camera eye contact and tone modulation.
The Pressure to Say the “Right” Thing
As your company’s representative, you are aware of the risks that a media interview carries. That awareness leads to hesitations, safe answers, or nervous energy.
In contrast, public speeches feel safer. The audience is usually aligned with the speaker. There's more goodwill in the room. Mistakes are less likely to be recorded or misquoted.
Media, however, can twist nuance into headlines. Executives who usually speak with authority begin self-censoring.
Long-Form Messaging vs. Sound Bites
As a public speaker or manager, you are used to long-form communication to build context and rapport. However, journalists prioritize concise, quotable responses that are under 15 seconds. If a key message cannot be distilled into a clear sound bite, it’ll likely be edited or left out.
Media training offers you tools to refine your key message, deliver it with clarity under pressure, handle crisis, and adapt it seamlessly to any format or audience.
What Executive Assistants Can Do to Support
If you manage media prep for a C-suite executive, here’s how to support them effectively:
Schedule mock interviews with time-limited responses
Prepare a media cheat sheet with talking points and pivots
Research the journalist’s tone, style, and past interviews
Encourage brief, clear messaging and avoid technical jargon
Remind them to speak like a leader, not a marketer
Even simple changes like posture, lighting, and camera framing can improve presence.
Schedule a media training session with Bulletproof Media Training and strengthen your organization’s presence across every platform.
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