10 things I learnt hosting a podcast
1) It’s not about you. As the host your job is to draw the story and best performance from your talent.2) Often the best question is “what happened next”. Long winded questions are boring and self-indulgent. Open questions can lead you to unexpected (and cool) places.3) Planning an interview and getting the structure right before…
3 ways to nail the ‘once in a lifetime’ interview
I’ve worked out what all the people who end up nailing their interviews have in common. I’m not talking about the executives or experts who spend time in media training to craft their message, or escape a crisis. I’m talking about everyday people who have experienced an extraordinary event that has led to me and…
I love my job
Did I mention how much I love my job? I don’t know how many other jobs allow you into peoples’ lives the way mine does. When you’re producing for TV (whether it’s news, current affairs or a documentary) you’re welcomed into a complete stranger’s life. You’re suddenly plunged into their home and into their family…
Missing Cleo
Every now and then you find yourself in the middle of a story, and wonder how the hell you got there. Like everyone else, I felt the terror rip through me when I first heard about little missing Cleo. I’ve got a 4-year-old child. So, like so many other parents, I imagined how that heartache…
Meeting Enza Raco
When I first met Enza Raco she was terrified of the media. She’d experienced the thirsty media pack at the most devastating time of her life. She’d been through so much pain, and didn’t want to talk publicly about it. That is, until the day the man who killed her husband, was sentenced. From that…
You talkin’ to me?
Every media trainer on the planet will tell you, to be successful in getting your message across, you must know your audience. The logic is, if you know who you’re talking to, you’ll know how to communicate with them. Easy, right? Problem is, sometimes it’s really hard to figure out who they are, and why…
When the Training Works
Media training is almost always super discreet. Chances are the people you see on the telly, or in your social media feed, have had some form of media training, and probably some help to get their story out there. But they don’t want you to know it. It’s meant to look effortless when you get…
Solidarity On The Steps
Most journalists in Perth, especially those who have been around since the late 90’s, have had some connection to the story of Sarah, Ciara and Jane. Missing girls, murder investigations, a suspect and then the biggest trial WA has ever seen. So, when we turned up yesterday, we all knew it would be a history…
The ThinkBox Story
Finally, the inevitable has happened… Sandra and I have given up trying to keep away from each other and officially joined forces. When Sandra and I met more, than 20 years ago, we were a couple of very young, very determined 6PR radio producers. We definitely shared the same drive, sense of humour and work-ethic.…