20 seconds are the most you’ll have to get your message across on TV or radio. Just 60 words. That’s the length of the average sound bite, so it’s vital that you know how to communicate clearly and concisely using imagery and words the public will respond to.
Furthermore, those 20 seconds are wasted if you haven’t paid attention to how you look and how you sound.
The same rules apply to anyone making a presentation to other people – whether they be clients, colleagues or a job interview panel.
Suzanne Yates is a former journalist and broadcaster with one of the world’s leading broadcasting organisations, the BBC. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, she specialises in media training for those who need to communicate difficult, technical concepts clearly and briefly.
She has worked in all areas of communications and has experience of emergencies and disaster relief.
