By Patricia Lauro
Jasmine Huda worked as an associate producer, finding and preinterviewing guests for Fox News in Washington. But what she really wanted was to be in front of the camera.
So, after leaving Fox in September, Ms. Huda, 26, decided to get some media training at Qorvis Communications, the politically connected public affairs firm in Washington….
Qorvis is targeting niche clients such as executives facing investigative hearings or academics and print reporters who are increasingly called to comment on talk shows. So what do they learn? A lot of the time, just the experience of being exposed to the lights, camera and action is important, Ms. Donaghy said. Other times, trainers stress the need to speak in sound bites with a clear message, or not to dart the eyes and shift around. And they also discuss how to get the best interview possible.
“I’ve been on the other end of it where you need quotable guests,” said Nina Donaghy, who joined Qorvis this year from the BBC in London. “I know why you keep booking the same people again and again — people who are reliable, in terms of sound bites and looking presentable.”
For Ms. Huda, who was trained by Rich Masters, a managing director at Qorvis, her instruction involved a few hours of taping as she read stories and conducted mock interviews. She is hoping the confidence that the training gave her will help her land a job as an on-air television news reporter.
Source: The Washington Post
