Communication Studies and Language Communication Studies

Government Media Relations Management And Communication Strategy Training

SAQA US 114481 | NQF 5 | Credits 5 | Duration 2 Days
From $832 per delegate

Description

This course equips government and public sector professionals with the skills to manage media relations effectively and develop strategic communication plans. Participants will learn to navigate the unique challenges of government communication, including crisis management, stakeholder engagement, and message alignment with policy objectives.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply principles of government media relations to manage interactions with journalists and media houses.
  • Analyze the role of communication in supporting government policy implementation and public engagement.
  • Evaluate media coverage and stakeholder feedback to inform communication strategy adjustments.
  • Design a comprehensive communication plan that aligns with organizational objectives and regulatory requirements.
  • Implement crisis communication protocols to protect organizational reputation during emergencies.
  • Demonstrate the ability to draft press releases, media statements, and key messages for diverse audiences.

Target Audience

This course is designed for communication officers, media liaison officials, public relations practitioners, and managers in government departments, municipalities, and state-owned entities who are responsible for media relations and communication strategy.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. However, a basic understanding of government structures and communication principles is recommended.

Course Outline

Day 1: Foundations of Government Media Relations and Communication Strategy

Objectives:
• Understand the role and importance of media relations in government communication.
• Identify key stakeholders and their communication needs in the public sector.
• Analyse the principles of strategic communication planning for government entities.
• Evaluate ethical and legal considerations in government media relations.
• Develop a basic media relations plan aligned with organisational objectives.

Topics:
• Introduction to government media relations and communication strategy.
• Stakeholder mapping and audience analysis in the public sector.
• Principles of strategic communication: alignment with policy and public interest.
• Legal and ethical frameworks: access to information, confidentiality, and accountability.
• Media landscape in South Africa: traditional, digital, and community media.
• Crafting key messages and talking points for government.
• Media monitoring and evaluation: tools and metrics.
• Practical exercise: drafting a media relations plan.

Day 2: Advanced Applications and Crisis Communication in Government

Objectives:
• Apply advanced techniques for managing media interactions and press conferences.
• Develop crisis communication strategies and protocols for government.
• Integrate digital and social media into government communication strategies.
• Evaluate case studies of government media relations successes and failures.
• Create a comprehensive communication strategy for a government scenario.

Topics:
• Advanced media engagement: interviews, press briefings, and media kits.
• Crisis communication planning: risk assessment, message development, and spokesperson training.
• Digital and social media strategies for government: platforms, policies, and engagement.
• Case studies: analysing government communication in crises (e.g., service delivery protests, health emergencies).
• Building media relationships and managing misinformation.
• Evaluation and reporting: measuring communication impact and ROI.
• Group workshop: developing a communication strategy for a simulated government scenario.
• Final assessment and feedback.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Tue 08 Sep 2026 Wed 09 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Wed 30 Sep 2026 Thu 01 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Thu 22 Oct 2026 Fri 23 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $832 Register
Tue 08 Dec 2026 Wed 09 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Wed 13 Jan 2027 Thu 14 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Thu 18 Feb 2027 Fri 19 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $832 Register
Mon 01 Mar 2027 Tue 02 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Wed 10 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $832 Register
Thu 10 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Tue 29 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Tue 20 Jul 2027 Wed 21 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $832 Register
Wed 08 Sep 2027 Thu 09 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Thu 30 Sep 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Tue 19 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $832 Register
Tue 07 Dec 2027 Wed 08 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
Wed 29 Dec 2027 Thu 30 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
Thu 20 Jan 2028 Fri 21 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $832 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 492 sessions across 26 venues
Start End Venue Season Price Action
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Durban, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,895 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,247 Register
Mon 10 Aug 2026 Tue 11 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,057 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Abu Dhabi, UAE Winter 2026 $4,217 Register
Wed 12 Aug 2026 Thu 13 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $4,217 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Wed 16 Sep 2026 Thu 17 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Thu 08 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Tue 27 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,080 Register
Wed 16 Dec 2026 Thu 17 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Thu 21 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Mon 22 Feb 2027 Tue 23 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,080 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Wed 10 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 17 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 25 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Tue 15 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 06 Jul 2027 Wed 07 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 28 Jul 2027 Thu 29 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 16 Sep 2027 Fri 17 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Tue 05 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Tue 26 Oct 2027 Wed 27 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,080 Register
Wed 15 Dec 2027 Thu 16 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Thu 06 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Mon 24 Jan 2028 Tue 25 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,080 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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