Operation Free
I spent some effort in 2009 to become more media savvy. The community organizing I’ve been doing with the East CAC had led to more media interviews. I’d done a few TV interviews in the past and didn’t like how they came out. I wanted to look my best, so I studied the interviews I’ve done to see how to improve.
I got a chance to try again when NBC 17 called me up out of the blue and needed to interview me right away. I hadn’t shaved that morning, had a few meetings to attend at work, and was wearing the wrong shirt for television, but I couldn’t find anyone else who could do the interview. I rushed home at lunchtime and quickly shaved and changed shirts, meeting the TV crew in the neighborhood right on time.
The interview went pretty well. The resulting clip turned out even better – making me appear coherent and authoritative. It was the best interview I’ve done so far.
Following this interview I got a chance to get more formal training in media relations. A group I’m associated with, Operation Free, held a weekend class on working with the media. Operation Free is a group advocating the use America’s renewable resources in place of coal and oil, as our dependence on these fuels leads to all sorts of problems – both with the environment as well as national security. I even appear in this Operation Free video (from :38 to :40). Years ago at a former job I was promised media training but it never took place. I jumped at this new chance to fulfill that training.
The day-long media training went very well. I learned a few new tips on looking confident and providing a good message. It was well worth my time and provided skills that will help me in my future interactions with the media.
Just this month I decided to also freshen my training behind the camera. I once was trained as one of Raleigh’s community television producers but since the cable access studio upgraded to a digital suite I was no longer current in my training. I managed to get into one of the city’s “producer workshops” one Saturday: the first step in getting recertified to air my own programming on Raleigh’s cable access station. My goal is to televise the monthly East CAC meetings in an effort to get more citizens involvement. The station manager told me I was the first CAC chair to consider doing this. We both hoped I would not be the last.
Thus, 2010 promises to be one where I’ll have a higher profile, media-wise. I’m excited about the prospect.