Media training for researchers — PDPC Winter School

Researchers have important stories to tell. But knowing your subject and being able to communicate it clearly under pressure are two very different skills. When a journalist asks a difficult question – live, on camera – preparation makes all the difference.

At the request of the Pandemic & Disasters Preparedness Center (PDPC, philogirl delivered a full-day hands-on media training as part of the Winter School 2026. The training was designed for researchers who want to communicate their work confidently to journalists and the general public.

Working alongside a reporter and a cameraman, participants practiced the complete arc of a media moment: from defining a clear key message before the interview, to bridging difficult questions on camera, to reviewing their own footage immediately afterwards. The combination of real interview pressure and direct feedback on camera made the learning stick.

Topics covered included how to translate complex science into plain language, how to handle questions about risk or uncertainty without overstepping the evidence, and how to stay grounded – physically and mentally – in front of a camera.

Our role

• Development and delivery of the full-day media training programme
• Content coaching: key message, structure, and language
• Simulated interviews with an experienced reporter
• Camera recordings and individual playback sessions
• Personal feedback per participant

Looking to strengthen your team’s media skills? We’d love to talk. Whats app or email Maaike: +31(0)6 456 32 117 / maaike@philogirl.nl