Yes, it most definitely is. Lawyers may be great speakers in front of a jury or a board of directors, but delivering great interviews is a different skill set. The camera distorts a lot of things, and the spotlight can easily make a response that was meant to sound confident come across as being arrogant or even confrontational.
It is also much harder to keep track of audience response when talking to a reporter in front of a camera. Reporters vary in the way they conduct interviews, but many will try to keep their expressions neutral as they carry on with their questions. You might not realize how weak your responses were until you see yourself on TV. And a bad TV appearance can hurt both your personal brand and your firm’s brand.
In other words, yes, lawyers should get media training. Even if you are confident that you’ll look good on camera, it’s better to play it safe. Respect the difficulty and importance of delivering interviews and media appearances.
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