When an organisation invests in media training, the goal is usually clear: to prepare spokespeople to handle interviews with confidence, protect reputation and communicate key messages effectively. Yet there’s another, equally important dimension that’s sometimes overlooked – the ethical questions that sit beneath every answer, every line of messaging and every interaction with journalists.
Good media training – and especially crisis media training – should never be about teaching people how to “spin” or dodge the truth. It should help leaders and experts communicate honestly, responsibly and humanely under pressure, while still safeguarding the organisation and its stakeholders.
This balance between transparency and message control is where ethical dilemmas often arise.
Why ethics matters in modern media training
Audiences today are highly media-literate. They recognise rehearsed soundbites, evasive answers and corporate jargon a mile off. One poorly judged interview can go viral in minutes, causing serious reputational damage and undermining months or years of careful brand-building.
Ethical, well-designed media training respects this reality. It helps spokespeople:
- Tell the truth clearly and accessibly
- Avoid misleading omissions or half-truths
- Show empathy to those affected by a situation
- Accept responsibility where it is due
- Explain what they are doing to put things right
For organisations working in sensitive sectors – from health and education to transport, energy and government – the stakes are even higher. In a crisis, the way information is shared can influence public safety, trust in institutions and the wellbeing of individuals directly affected by an incident.
Common ethical dilemmas in media training
- Honesty versus message discipline
One of the most frequent dilemmas is how to stay honest while still delivering clear, consistent messages. Spokespeople are often given a handful of key points to emphasise in every interview. Problems arise when those points do not fully address a journalist’s question, or when they gloss over uncomfortable facts.
Ethical media training should make it clear that:
- Deliberate lies are never acceptable
- Misleading omissions can be just as damaging as false statements
- It is legitimate to keep some information confidential – but this must be explained openly (“I can’t comment on that because…”), not hidden behind vague phrases
Rather than teaching people to “bridge away” from difficult questions automatically, training should help them answer as fully as they reasonably can, then add context and key messages.
- Confidentiality versus public interest
Organisations often hold information that is commercially sensitive, legally restricted or personally confidential. At the same time, journalists have a duty to serve the public interest, especially when safety, health or public money is involved.
In media training and crisis media training, this tension must be handled carefully. Spokespeople need to understand:
- What they are legally unable to say (for example, during ongoing legal proceedings)
- What is ethically wrong to disclose (such as identifying vulnerable individuals)
- Where there is a strong public interest in sharing as much as possible
Good training explores real-world scenarios where confidentiality and transparency collide, giving delegates a safe space to practise how to explain limits on what they can say without sounding evasive or uncaring.
- Rehearsal versus authenticity
Another ethical question is how far rehearsal should go. Thorough preparation is essential: practising interviews, testing difficult questions and refining messages all help spokespeople perform under pressure. But there is a line between preparation and manipulation.
If every answer sounds memorised, or if a spokesperson appears more concerned with “staying on script” than engaging with the issue, the audience quickly loses trust. Ethical media training encourages:
- Natural language, not robotic repetition
- Genuine listening to the question before answering
- A willingness to acknowledge uncertainty (“We don’t yet know, but here’s what we’re doing to find out…”)
Authenticity does not mean being unprepared – it means using preparation to support sincere, human communication instead of hiding behind a script.
- Using emotion without exploitation
Emotion can be a powerful tool in interviews: a story about a real person is often more compelling than a set of statistics. But there is a fine ethical line between illustrating a point and exploiting someone’s experience for PR purposes.
Training should help organisations:
- Gain consent before referring to personal stories
- Avoid sensationalising distressing events
- Show respect and empathy for those affected
- Focus on solutions and learning, rather than dwelling on suffering
Building ethics into crisis media training
Crisis media training brings these dilemmas into sharp focus. In an emergency, facts may be incomplete. Social media may be spreading rumours within minutes. Journalists will push hard for information and accountability. The temptation to speculate, deflect blame or minimise the situation can be strong.
Ethical crisis media training equips spokespeople to:
- Acknowledge what has happened without rushing beyond the known facts
- Avoid speculation – clearly distinguishing between confirmed information and what is still being investigated
- Accept responsibility where appropriate, rather than blaming others or hiding behind technicalities
- Demonstrate concrete actions being taken to protect people, fix the issue and prevent a repeat
Well-designed crisis scenarios allow delegates to practise this under realistic pressure: facing tough questions, hostile headlines and social media scrutiny. Afterwards, detailed feedback can explore not just how they performed technically, but how their responses might be judged ethically by the public, regulators and stakeholders.(hawkeyemedia.co.uk)
Principles for maintaining integrity in media interviews
Whether you are preparing for routine media training or intensive crisis media training, a few core principles help keep ethics at the centre:
- Start from the truth
Messages should simplify and clarify, not distort. If your key message only works by leaving out crucial information, it needs rethinking. - Be clear about what you can’t say – and why
There will be times when you cannot comment in detail. Explain the reason in plain language, rather than hiding behind vague phrases like “no comment”. - Respect individuals and communities
Avoid naming or identifying people unnecessarily, especially in sensitive situations. Choose language that is accurate but not inflammatory. - Avoid over-reassurance
It may be tempting to say “everything is under control” when it is not. More ethical – and more credible – is to explain the risks honestly and describe what you are doing to manage them. - Align internal behaviour with external messages
Ethical problems often arise when what is said publicly does not match what is happening inside the organisation. Training should encourage leaders to address real issues, not just polish the external story.
Practical steps for organisations
To embed ethics into your approach to the media, consider:
- Including ethical scenarios in all media training sessions, not just crisis-focused ones
- Developing a simple internal code of conduct covering honesty, confidentiality, consent and respect in media work
- Involving legal, HR and safeguarding specialists in preparing for high-risk interviews
- Reviewing past media coverage – both your own and others’ – to analyse where ethical standards were upheld or compromised
- Offering support to spokespeople who face intense criticism or online abuse after interviews, so they feel able to be honest without fear of personal attack
When media training is approached in this way, it becomes more than just a technical skills workshop. It becomes part of building a culture of integrity, accountability and transparency.
Media Training and ethics as a reputational asset
In the short term, cutting ethical corners can look tempting: a carefully worded half-truth may feel easier than confronting difficult realities on camera. But audiences are quick to detect insincerity. Once trust is damaged, it can be very hard to repair.
Ethical media training and crisis media training treat honesty, empathy and responsibility as non-negotiable foundations of every interview. They help spokespeople navigate complex situations with clarity and confidence, without sacrificing their own integrity – or that of their organisation.
By putting ethics at the heart of preparation, organisations do more than avoid negative headlines. They earn the kind of long-term trust that makes all future communication – with journalists, customers, staff and communities – more open, constructive and effective.