As an independent and agile, full-service communications agency, making the most of every engagement with the media is Eclipse Communication's forte, according to the group.

"Drawing on my almost two decades of experience as a journalist and news anchor and Eclipse Communications' depth of public relations knowledge and experience, we have developed an in-depth media training programme," adds Ramkissoon.

"[The programme] will ensure that company spokespeople not only land their messages with finesse and flair but also have the understanding of how the media operates, breaking the divide of 'news to us vs news to them'. This will equip our clients with the techniques necessary for delivering a memorable interview," says Ramkissoon.

The group says that with his experience of challenging people with hard-hitting questions for years, Ramkissoon is well positioned to help spokespeople navigate difficult conversations and confrontational interviews.

The Eclipse Communications media training includes but is not limited to:
  • making the most of a multi-studio setup
  • best practice on how to a handle hard-hitting news interview
  • significance of body language and non-verbal communication, and
  • the domestic media landscape and how newsrooms operate.
In the modern day, investing in media training for C-suite executives and spokespeople should be a key consideration for all brands and companies, says Eclipse. It is one of the pillars of an effective reputation management strategy.

Cheryl Reddy, Eclipse's chief executive officer, adds that preparing 'crib notes' for clients that they use to parrot premeditated talking points is not the objective of the media training experience Eclipse Communications seeks to provide.

"Instead, we aim to empower, by giving clients the skillsets they will need to field complex and critical questions from journalists, guaranteeing they portray themselves and their organisations in the best possible light while also building long-term relationships with the media," says Reddy.

Reddy concludes, "For years, we have partnered with numerous journalists to help us media train our clients and today, we are able to offer this service in-house with a prominent news anchor and our chief strategy officer. We have already soft-launched the service and media trained the likes of Pfizer South Africa and other key clients on our books."

For more information, visit www.eclipsecomms.com. You can also follow Eclipse Communications on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.