It is a long held view that the media treats religion badly. It’s true that religion is the most complained about subject according to IPSO and we often feel misrepresented but the question we ask on our media training courses – available free for all Methodists in the London District – is “who’s to blame?” Our answer doesn’t point to the journalists – it points to us – we cannot blame the media for our bad PR. So we focus very much on improving your communications.

Our programme includes:

• Identifying what makes a story – what are journalists/programme makers looking for?

• Helping you discover what is your story  - what is it you are trying to say?

• How best to tell it – which medium to use – “we are all broadcasters now” – you can get your story out there without a journalist

• Interview training - radio and TV – you are put in the hot-seat and your performance is evaluated by the trainers and also your peers

• Handling a crisis – it’s all in the preparation – learn this and you will have the confidence to cope.

• Writing Press releases – journalists don’t have long to find out what the story is – don’t put the interesting bit on page 4 (there shouldn’t be a page 4 anyway!)

• Tips on social media – how to make it work for you.

But apart from this – learning how to communicate succinctly using fewer words, more stories and colourful idioms - is an important life skill for everyone to learn, especially Christians wanting to communicate their good news.

The training is brought to you by Ruth Peacock – a journalists with some 30 years’ experience and still freelancing running the BBC Newsdesk and Michael Wakelin a former Head of Religious Broadcasting at the BBC and still at the coalface as an Executive Producer at TBI media.

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- Michael Wakelin

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Training will be held at Methoduist Central Hall, Westminster from 11am - 5pm on the following dates:

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• Thursday 19 March

• Thursday 02 April

• Thursday 30 April

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For more information, and to sign up, contact Michael Wakelin.