TNKR doesn't have a media team, we don't have a media list, we don't have any media outreach efforts, we don't hang out at the Press Club drinking with reporters.
Despite that, we often have media finding us. We get more many attention than our small little organization should receive. Our secret: our good work is what attracts media.
Things don't always go well. We had one refugee who was recently interviewed who later changed her mind. She had agreed to have her face shown, but the reporter took so many photos of her that she started to feel uncomfortable. She still agreed to have her quotes included in the article, but didn't want her face shown.
Another refugee did an interview, then the reporter began hounding her, even showing up in the refugee's neighborhood for yet another interview. I tell the refugees that if they include me in the conversation that I can stop that kind of thing from happening. Of course, the first thing most reporters want to do is to eliminate me from their interactions with refugees. That isn't always the case, there's a reporter who keeps us in the conversation even though she has already built up trust with the refugee and us.
A lot of the misunderstandings with refugees and reporters occur when reporters began interacting separately with refugees. We learned that some refugees would continue with interviews because they thought it would help TNKR. Some refugees have come to us asking if we can stop the reporter from contacting them (and often saying they wish they had listened to our advice). The best we can do from the beginning is to let refugees know that at any moment they can drop out of an interview.
Despite that, we often have media finding us. We get more many attention than our small little organization should receive. Our secret: our good work is what attracts media.
Things don't always go well. We had one refugee who was recently interviewed who later changed her mind. She had agreed to have her face shown, but the reporter took so many photos of her that she started to feel uncomfortable. She still agreed to have her quotes included in the article, but didn't want her face shown.
Another refugee did an interview, then the reporter began hounding her, even showing up in the refugee's neighborhood for yet another interview. I tell the refugees that if they include me in the conversation that I can stop that kind of thing from happening. Of course, the first thing most reporters want to do is to eliminate me from their interactions with refugees. That isn't always the case, there's a reporter who keeps us in the conversation even though she has already built up trust with the refugee and us.
A lot of the misunderstandings with refugees and reporters occur when reporters began interacting separately with refugees. We learned that some refugees would continue with interviews because they thought it would help TNKR. Some refugees have come to us asking if we can stop the reporter from contacting them (and often saying they wish they had listened to our advice). The best we can do from the beginning is to let refugees know that at any moment they can drop out of an interview.
Some reporters contact me, expecting me to produce refugees on demand. We have a clear process that doesn't always fit the timeline of reporters dropping in: The reporter contacts me, they are usually expected to fill out a request, we share the request with refugees, then we wait to see if any are interested. If none are interested, we let the reporters know so they can try again if they are still interested.
Many of the refugees don't understand why they should bother with interviews. They get probed, the reporters usually have follow-up questions, they want the refugees to introduce them to more refugees to go through the same treatment.
Plus, because we are an educational institution, our focus is not on media and in most cases there is no benefit to us to have a quote thrown into an article.
On the other hand, I will almost always respond to media, even though I am sure one day that I will say something to get myself into trouble. It is a bit dangerous being a commentator who is also running a non-profit. Even some of the volunteers will disagree with some things I might say, so I have to keep in mind that some of them are also reading when I'm quoted in media (at what I actually said or even if I didn't get quoted accurately or in context).
It is good to raise awareness about what we are doing so I do the interviews anyway, falling on grenades very often for TNKR. Some of the interviews are enjoyable, especially when there is the rare case of a reporter showing up already knowing a lot about TNKR. On the other hand, when some showing up knowing nothing, and asking very basic questions that I have answered many times, I go through the process anyway.
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