My latest book, co-authored with Jeremy Nicholas

---

Product Description

"An invaluable guide, full of insights." THE GUARDIAN Let the pros show you how to handle the media...If you have an important message to get across it pays to learn from the best. This book gives you insider access to the combined knowledge of MediaMasters in fields ranging from politics, sports, weather and news to comic strips, chat shows, soaps, photography, radio and the internet. Crammed with tips from years of experience it will make you more media savvy, entertaining and news aware, so you are fully prepared for your turn in the spotlight. Featuring: Terry Wogan, Phill Jupitus, Michael Parkinson, Uri Geller, Brian Clough, Alex, Will Carling, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Tim Brabants, Chris Cox, Fay Weldon, Jo Swinson, Rory Cellan-Jones, Phil Hall, Gail Emms, Gered Mankowitz, Neil Mullarkey, Iain Dale, Rebecca Adlington, Michael Aspel, Des Coleman, Dee Caffari, Allegra Mcevedy, George Galloway and Hugh Pym. The authors, both recognised MediaMasters in their own right, have interviewed 25 of the top names in radio, television, print and new media so they can share their insights with you. Whether you're a company spokesperson, sports star, politician, author, entrepreneur, celebrity or budding MediaMaster yourself, the role models in this book provide you with hard won tricks of the trade you can use. Jeremy Nicholas is an award winning TV and radio broadcaster, after dinner speaker and compere. He's presented radio shows for BBC World Service, BBC Radio 5 Live, Talk Sport and GLR. On television he's best known for his 'And Finally' reporting for the BBC. He also presented 'Live and Dangerous', 'Turnstyle' and 'Sick as a Parrot' as well as live World Cup and Champions League football for Channel 5 and ITV. As Director of Talking Toolbox Jeremy teaches speaking skills for TV, radio and live audiences, as well as providing media training for firms and individuals. Learn more at www.talkingtoolbox.com Alan Stevens has been both a TV presenter and expert interviewee notching up over 2,000 radio and TV interviews on BBC TV News, Sky News, Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live as well as in every ITV region. He is Vice-President of the International Federation for Professional Speakers and a Fellow (and Past President) of the Professional Speakers Association. As Director of MediaCoach Alan provides media coaching, crisis management and communication training. In 2006, The Independent listed him alongside Max Clifford as "one of the UK's top ten media experts". Learn more at www.mediacoach.co.uk

---

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #655411 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

About the Author
Jeremy Nicholas is an award winning TV and radio broadcaster, after dinner speaker and compere. He's presented radio shows for BBC World Service, BBC Radio 5 Live, Talk Sport and GLR. On television he's best known for his `And Finally' reporting for the BBC. He also presented `Live and Dangerous', `Turnstyle' and `Sick as a Parrot' as well as live World Cup and Champions League football for Channel 5 and ITV. As Director of Talking Toolbox Jeremy teaches speaking skills for TV, radio and live audiences, as well as providing media training for firms and individuals.

Alan Stevens has been both a TV presenter and expert interviewee notching up over 2,000 radio and TV interviews on BBC TV News, Sky News, Radio 4 and Radio 5 Live as well as in every ITV region. He is Vice-President of the International Federation for Professional Speakers and a Fellow (and Past President) of the Professional Speakers Association. As Director of MediaCoach Alan provides media coaching, crisis management and communication training. In 2006, The Independent listed him alongside Max Clifford as "one of the UK's top ten media experts".

---

Customer Reviews

A Modern Take on Media Commentary
I was looking forward to reading this book to pick up some tips that could help take my expert blog to a global audience and see it picked up by the media and this book didn't disappoint. Whilst it didn't provide me an exact framework for achieving media coverage (but to be honest, I didn't expect it to!) it did give me an insight into how experienced media commentators work and this gave me ideas that I could use to develop my blogging business.

The biggest plus for me was that I was exposed to `lesser known' media pundits - the more `up and coming' experts as well as what I would term "the old boys" such as Terry Wogan and Michael Aspel etc. The newer media experts include Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington, Radio 1 Producer Chris Cox and TV Weather Presenter and ex Soap Star Des Coleman and it was nice to get a young, fresh take on how modern day communicators operate when speaking to the media.

Whilst many of the interviewees supplied their theory on the subject of being a media master, Comedian and TV show panellist Phill Jupitus gave an excellent piece of practical advice for would be media masters - but you will have to read the book to find out what it is!

I did feel at times that the book was written from a very `male' point of view, although this is not surprising as both authors are male. But one example of this would be in one of the interviews (with Michael Aspel), the interviewer comments on newsreader Fiona Bruce and how he is pleased she is getting some work at last. It seemed a slightly patronising comment and a little un-necessary, given that numerous media interviews have reported that Fiona had taken a conscious decision to work part time so she could bring up her two young children. Perhaps the author knows a little more than the readers do about her personal situation, but this isn't explained in the book, so I formed my opinion based upon the fact that I too am a woman raising two young children alongside running a business, and the fact that I pick and choose my work opportunities doesn't make me any less ambitious.

That point aside, the book contains some useful reminders when dealing with the media, such as don't overcomplicate your message and always remember who your audience is - definitely sound advice. I worked in corporate PR for more than a decade and therefore can vouch for the sturdiness of this advice!

The book brings together stars of comedy, radio, sports and politics, but I am particularly thankful to the book for introducing me to experts such as Gail Emms, Rory Cellan-Jones, Dee Caffari and Allegra McEvedy who I thought was excellent - they definitely saved the best for last!

Entertaining and Informative, True Media Mastery
I read Media Masters with an outcome in mind. I have dealt with the media in a previous occupation, not always in a particularly great way and it looks like I will be again soon. I wanted to pick up some tips, techniques and ideas that would help me deal with the media better than I had before.

I far more than I expected from this book. Let me start with my minor niggle about the book. It has so many gems, good ideas and thought provoking points that it was difficult to find bits later when I was reviewing the huge amount of good advice I got from the book. That said the authors recognising this have put a five page summary of key points at the back...I would have been happier with this being a little more exhaustive.

Now that is one small point against a really great book. Not only did I get a huge amount of good advice about handling the media I also got some great ideas to try out. For example Chris Cox talks about 140 character Twitter film reviews and this spurred several different marketing ideas for me. So I got lots of advice about the media, stimulated some great thoughts and ideas...but this was not the thing that turn this from a good book into a great book.

The thing I liked most about the book was the fact that it has huge personality and fun about it. Thee are laugh out loud moments. See Alan Steven's response to George Galloway's ideas about repetition, repetition, repetition as one example that got me strange looks on my tube journey home.

Like any great interviewer, as I can see the co-authors are, they allow the personalities of the people they are interviewing shine through and they left me wanting to know more from the people they were interviewing. Not only that the personalities of the two authors comes through. They are as entertaining thought provoking as any of the people they have interviewed for the book. And they are happy to disagree with the advice their celebrities give. This gives the book honesty, integrity and allows the reader free choice on a range of opinions.

I read this book for information. I got that but was not expecting to be entertained as much through the process. Even with my minor niggles this book thoroughly deserves a five star rating.

Insightful interviews draw out useful info in an enjoyable way
The book is a collection of short interviews with media savvy celebrities. Each of the 25 interviews distils the key tips from the experience and expertise of each subject, capturing the personality of each well.

It's so much easier reading this valuable information 'in context' in this way rather than a list of 'things you must do' (although there is a summary at the back of the book for each).

The writing styles of both authors are friendly and humorous which not only draws more out of the interviewees but makes it a more interesting and enjoyable read than similar books on the topic.

The authors know their stuff too, so they can ask the right questions to get the information that is likely to be of most use to us. Because of that you'll read anecdotes in these vignettes from well known celebrities that you probably won't hear anywhere else. Woven into to the stories is also the expertise of Alan and Jeremy who both deal with the media in all its forms every day.

If you know you'll be having dealings with the media, be it in print, radio or on tv, in a couple of days time, you better order this now and you'll find it such an easy enjoyable read that you'll be ready to face the pen, mic or camera in no time at all.