Blog

Colin Kelly from Comsteria delivering a media training course.

Can media training be delivered online?

We’re asked this a lot and as a media training and crisis communications consultancy growing our business throughout the UK and internationally from our base near Glasgow in the West of Scotland, there are certainly benefits to us if we don’t need to travel to see clients face to face. The short answer is, yes, media training courses certainly can be delivered online and we do deliver sessions via Teams and Zoom for certain clients. Read more

By Colin Kelly, ago
Colin Kelly delivering media training, wearing headphones and speaking into a microphone.

5 Media Training Tips

Here’s our media trainer Colin Kelly with some quick advice you can implement next time you’re speaking to newspapers, radio or television. Some of this will also work if you’re not dealing with the media, but speaking to your own colleagues or clients perhaps via your own social media channels.

By Colin Kelly, ago

How Descript is Changing Video Editing for Non-Experts (and Why That Matters to You)

When I started learning video editing nearly 15 years ago, it was anything but easy. I bought Final Cut Pro X for £200, which felt like a huge investment at the time. The software was powerful, but the learning curve was steep. I struggled my way through menus, timelines, and endless tutorials. Sound familiar? It wasn’t until I left teaching and started working in video full-time that I really got the hang of it. Now, Read more

By Emma Baker, ago
AI generated image of a communications team.

Comms Teams Should Celebrate Good Work

To me, there’s no difference between the members of your communications or marketing team and the pit crews you see changing wheels and refuelling Formula 1 cars in just a few seconds during the races. A crack team of highly trained professionals, committed to excellence, working absolute magic in a highly demanding environment. As I travel the country, visiting workplaces to run media and presentation skills training, I sometimes find that the staff and management Read more

By Colin Kelly, ago
Image of a local newspaper front-page.

How a local newspaper works

When was the last time you looked inside your local newspaper? It might have gone through some big changes since you last bought a physical copy, but there’s a good chance it still exists. If you’re one of our media training, podcast or video production clients there’s a good chance at some point local newspapers might be interested in what you’re doing. They might turn up or phone with some questions one day, or there Read more

By Colin Kelly, ago
Should I get verified on Linkedin

Should I Get Verified On Linkedin?

Yes, if you’re concerned about the security of your account and want to get back into it quickly in the event you’re hacked. No if you think it’s going to somehow automatically get you more attention and leads. Colin Kelly has been through the whole process and explains it all in our ‘Powerful Communication’ podcast.

By Colin Kelly, ago
Jaguar rebrand

Attention Disorder

For us to recognise light, we have to spend time in the shade. For there to be ‘good’ PR and communications, there has to be some that’s not so good. And some that’s downright dreadful. We need to get past this idea that any piece of marketing, advertising or social media can be ‘genius’ just because it seems to have everyone talking. ‘We’re part of the conversation’ is something I hear a lot these days Read more

By Colin Kelly, ago

Media training tip – build your media intelligence

As one of Scotland’s leading media training providers it should be no surprise that at Comsteria, we live and breathe the media. Our roots are in the traditional, mainstream media but we’re just as passionate about digital media and emerging channels. It’s a world we’re used to and there’s a feeling of safety and familiarity that comes with that. Of course, many of our clients, perhaps you reading this, feel quite differently about the media. Read more

By Colin Kelly, ago
The real power of AI

The real power of AI

Don’t be fooled into thinking Artificial Intelligence is simply a good vs bad battle between synthetic content created by machines and work you do yourself. Tools such as ChatGPT, Claude AI and Gemini have a lot to offer when they’re used to provide feedback on your work, analysis and additional perspectives. I recently wrote a blog criticising organisations that preach till the cows come home about their corporate ‘values’ but don’t always live them. I Read more

By Colin Kelly, ago