Why Media Training Can’t Stay Limited to a Few Spokespeople
By Dan Farkas
March 2026
I spent 10 years in TV news, and the last two as a sports anchor — shooting games, editing stories, producing shows, updating websites and ensuring that broadcast-quality TV hair wasn’t easy.
It’s been more than 15 years since I left TV. I still have “nightmares” bringing back the panic I felt far too often:
“Hey Farkas, you’re on in 60 seconds. Are you going to be ready or not?”
This question oddly separates the great from the good. You thrive or find something else to do. That “ready for anything” mentality empowered me as I transitioned from news into PR. Our profession’s deadlines are nothing — and I passionately mean nothing — to what journalists face.
But what if?
What if that “60-second rule” no longer just applies to the News Department?
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Dan Farkas
Dan Farkas is a proud executive committee member of PRSA’s Counselors Academy. A professor of strategic communication at Ohio University, Dan is also the chief advocate officer of Pass PR, which bridges the gap between employer needs and employee capacity.
