Media Training
Have an interview with a journalist coming up soon?
Here are a couple of resources to help you prepare for your upcoming interview with a reporter. If schedules allow, we can also try to fit in a brief, one-on-one media training with you. Please reach out to the Public Information Officer who covers your academic subject to get started. You can also download our interview tipsheets below.
Media interview tips
Resource: Interview tips for print/online stories and broadcast (pdf)
Remote interviews from home:
| Do… | Don’t… |
|---|---|
| Pay attention to your background | Rely on your computer’s built-in mic |
| Remove distractions as much as possible | Have a bright window or light behind you |
| Eliminate background noise by closing doors/windows | Hold your laptop/camera in your lap or with your hands |
| Use wireless earbuds with a built-in mic (or an external mic) if you have them | Angle the camera really low or really high |
| Look into your webcam/camera as you speak | |
| Face a window/soft light if you can |
Resource: Download this table as a PDF
Have an interview in the future or curious about media training?
The UW News office offers one-on-one, small group and department-level media training — including practice for broadcast interviews. Please fill out the form below to get started.
Have an idea you want to write about in an op-ed or analysis piece?
Many mainstream news outlets publish opinion and analysis pieces written by subject-matter experts on topics that are relevant to their audiences or that provide context for an ongoing news item. The UW is a partner institution with The Conversation, a news analysis website that publishes short pieces written by academics on relevant issues. Whether you’re interested in writing for The Conversation or seeking to publish an op-ed in a more traditional news outlet, we can help.
Reach out to the Public Information Officer who covers your academic subject to start the conversation about your idea and see how we can help you pitch it to media outlets. We also can do one-on-one, small group and department-level advising sessions for op-ed and analysis writing. You can also learn more by downloading our op-ed writing guide below.
Resource: “Want to write an op-ed?” (pdf)
