A well-planned, well-prepared and well-executed media interview performance can make a massive difference to how issues and situations are viewed by the public – and its leaders.
Not for the first time, this has been illustrated by multiple-rape survivor – the heroic French woman, Gisèle Pelicot.
Madame Pelico has found herself transformed into an international feminist icon after giving evidence as the central witness in a horrifying court case – and afterwards speaking out through the news media about her so-very-personal ordeal, and now, about the ordeals of others.
Gisèle Pelico suddenly became a global figure in 2024 when she waived her right to anonymity under French law in her case involving multiple rapes organised by her then husband.
73-year-old Dominique Pelicot – now jailed in France for 20 years – had repeatedly drugged his wife to the point of unconsciousness before inviting dozens of men to rape her – and be recorded on video.
Gisèle Pelicot has since campaigned to remove shame from rape victims – and to have it placed, where it belongs, upon their attackers.
MADAME PELICOT CONDEMNS SOFT SENTENCES FOR BRITISH TEENAGE RAPISTS
This week Gisèle Pelicot used her fame – and her moral force – to help prompt action over a British rape case widely criticised for being too soft on the teenage perpetrators.
The case concerned the rape of two young British women where a judge controversially spared three teenage boys from jail sentences because they were so young.
It followed their involvement in raping two women – aged 15 and 14 – in separate incidents after they were lured online to a riverside underpass in Hampshire.
The boys then posted the evidence of their crimes on social media.
Those found guilty were two 14-year-olds and another boy, then 13, who was convicted for his involvement in the second rape.
The boys cannot be named because they’re viewed as children under British law.
Judge Nicholas Rowland spared the boys from jail sentences, saying: “I should avoid criminalising these children unnecessarily and understand the effects of their behaviour and support their reintegration into society.”
Referring to their very young ages, the judge then added: “None of you need to go to prison today.”
The judge’s decision has been condemned in media interviews by Gisèle Pelicot during her visit to Britain as the headline author at this spring’s annual literary festival in Hay-on-Wye.
She was there to speak about her book “A Hymn To Life: Shame Has To Change Sides”.
Following the criticism by Gisèle Pelicot – and that of others – about alleged leniency of the British rapists’ treatment, the controversial sentences have now been sent by the UK Government to the Court of Appeal for review.
In her interview on the BBC, Gisèle Pelicot demonstrated what an accomplished media interviewee she has become.
I presume – but do not know for certain – that she’s had some very high-quality media interview response training.
Whether she has or hasn’t had media training, Madame Pelicot is a supremely impressive interviewee and a highly courageous human.
Her speaking style is direct and measured – and is all-the-more powerful because of this.
Given her own tragic story where she was repeatedly drugged by her husband and raped by him and many others, she is remarkably composed under TV studio lights.
Gisèle Pelicot conveys her points with authority and force – while remaining angelically calm and quietly emphatic.
If you live in the UK and have a British TV licence, you can watch Gisèle Pelicot’s latest BBC interview performance here:
Or – wherever you are in the world – you can observe Madame Pelicot’s perspective on the contentious British rape sentences here on YouTube:
Media interview response training can be conducted one-to-one when you’re seeking to enhance your personal performance in TV, radio, newspaper or magazine interviews and on news websites.
And/or it can be carried out in small groups within companies where members of a single team – such as a sales or marketing team – need to work together on conveying their collective positive messages through the news media.
There’s more information about media master classes here:
https://www.michaeldoddcommunications.com/media-master-classes/
Media interview response training is a confidence-enhancing and competence-enhancing experience.
The option of video playbacks and critiques helps in this regard.
Winning world headlines sometimes results – but cannot be guaranteed.
The rigorous planning, preparation and practice involved in high-quality media training means it always lifts the performances of you and your team members – to a point that takes you way beyond wherever you are when you start.