Media Training - Working with the media - Online Course

That was my take on it too. Thanks

please feel free to smarten it up.

Tide of dolphin deaths must end complacency

The recent deaths of 22 common dolphins in trawl nets off the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island must end any remaining complacency over marine mammal conservation.

The carnage caused by just four jack mackerel boats in December was witnessed by government observers. Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick has admitted that it is not uncommon for dolphins to be caught in the fishery concerned. However, it is unusual to have such a high number of reported incidental deaths in just one month.

Government officials also admitted that some of the vessels involved continued fishing in the area despite consistently catching dolphins in their nets.

Rebecca Bird, WWF-New Zealand Marine Programme Leader, said: “This is an appalling demonstration of how lethal irresponsible fishing can be for dolphins. It is fortunate officials were on hand and action was taken, but we are really concerned about what happens when they aren’t around.”

Chris Howe, WWF-New Zealand Executive Director, said: “Voluntary procedures effectively mean fishers can still choose to kill dolphins, and they have the commercial imperative to risk doing so. How many more dolphins must die to prove voluntary schemes don’t work and regulations must be tightened?”

The news comes as the government is considering the draft Hector’s and Maui’s dolphin Threat Management Plan. Hector’s dolphins’ populations are in serious decline, having fallen from an estimated 26,000 in the 1970s to about 7,270 today. Only an estimated 111 Maui’s dolphins remain.

Chris Howe said: “The threat management plan must include adequate restrictions on trawling throughout the dolphins’ range if we are to protect these two endangered species, more common dolphins, and the 24 million tourist dollars they contribute to New Zealand’s economy.”

WWF is also calling for a complete national ban on set nets, which are the biggest threat to the animal’s survival.

Globally, more than 300,000 small whales, dolphins, and porpoises die from entanglement in fishing nets each year, making bycatch the single largest cause of mortality for small cetaceans. This has pushed several species, including the Maui’s, to the brink of extinction.

Chris said: “This is a global issue on which New Zealanders now have a chance to demonstrate real leadership.”

Photos available.

For further information: Andy Kenworthy, media consultant, WWF.

+64 0272 333 634 or info@andykenworthy.com

Or Rebecca Bird, WWF-New Zealand Marine Programme Leader

+64 (0)4 471 4291 or rbird@wwf.org.nz

If it's recorded they will edit if you fluff it completely, but take your time, and try not so say 'oh shit...etc' just in case!

Timing

You will be told the show they want you to be a part of. The chances are you will be doing this from home. You will need to be able to ‘stand by’ your phone for while – even though News slots tend to be pretty rigid on radio shows, they can move, not least if new stories are happening.

1. Tune your radio to the show about 15 mins before and listen in. Get to know the style of the presenter you are dealing with (they may be chatty, funny, or serious and more abrupt) and also what they have been talking about in the run up to your bit.
2. REMEMBER to turn the radio off as soon as you are on the phone to the presenter – otherwise they will get feedback.

People often jump to the medium rather than the outcome they want. There is a tendency to say 'right, we need a leaflet for this' without stopping to think it through.

The key thought processes are - what do we want people to do, where are the people most likely to do that, and how best do we tell them to do it.

Definitely! Let's take some of the subjects here and arrange that for the same time next week. We'll publicise it on here and see who can show.

ok, couldn't resist posting more!

humour is a good skill for communicators - but it's really a cherry on top, and you don't have to have it to get your point across.

I would be cautious about trying to be funny in a live situation unless you really know what you are doing, it can backfire terribly.

I would choose your interviewer carefully, and if you really think they are going to just go all out to make you look stupid, either get a media professional to talk to them or don't do it.

Using humour in publications is ace though, and you can control it more easily.

But don't let it obscure the information - better to have a bland press release which gets the message out there than a clever one that nobody understands.