Chairs: Elisabeth Crafer, PW, Paul Ward, THT
Facilitators: Emma Bickerstaff, NAT, Martin Flynn, UKC, Genevieve Clark, THT
Rapporteurs: Keith Wareham, NLTSG and Lucy Osman, PW
This workshop was run twice during the conference and attended by 42 people. The aims were to put people back into the statistics, to motivate people to tell their story and take control of the media. It was hoped that the outcome for individuals would be improved skills and confidence in dealing with the media, for people to become proactive and to commit to some action.
Genevieve Clark opened the workshop with this presentation. She explained the need to break down negative barriers relating to HIV by engaging with the media.
Genevieve emphasised that before being interviewed it is essential to set boundaries. This should be achieved by deciding what you are happy to talk about and what you are not. This needs to be discussed with the interviewer prior to starting. Genevieve also highlighted the need to think about the confidentiality of others, and remember you are in charge of the interview.
Tips for TV appearances were shared, which included what to wear, what to avoid, having good posture, speaking to the interviewer and not fidgeting. This all helps the viewer to concentrate on the message and not get distracted. Genevieve then highlighted the importance of preparing for interviews, what to say, how to say it and dealing with difficult questions.
Martin Flynn led the next section of the workshop, which explored interview techniques in more detail and highlighted the following:
Be clear about what is ‘on the record’ and what is ‘off the record’
Tell your own story in your own words
Be truthful
Stay calm and focussed (don’t let yourself be wound up)
Avoid clichés like ‘at the end of the day’
Tell positive stories of people living with HIV
HIV affects everyone, not just minorities
Stress local work done by your HIV charity
Stress normality of people with HIV
Everyone was then asked to write down non-negotiable questions and some pre-prepared questions were also distributed for people to use. The facilitators split people into pairs and each person had the opportunity to interview and be interviewed for 5 minutes. Examples of the questions supplied included:
Friendly journalist
Who are the people living with HIV in your area?
Does HIV affect the whole population or just minorities like gays, drug users and Africans?
What can we do to help poor countries of the world to get cheap anti-HIV drugs?
Difficult journalist
Don’t people with HIV only have themselves to blame for catching the disease?
How can you justify Britain paying for treatments & care for people coming to this country from abroad?
Should people passing on HIV be prosecuted?
Feedback from this exercise highlighted these issues:
The need for preparation
Be aware that questions previously agreed on may change
It is not up to you to fill silences
Acknowledge difficult questions
Keep answers brief and to the point
You could make lists of what to say and what not to say
Not straying from the clear message you want to convey
Be prepared for technique of journalist
Have personal stories ready
Be clear about whether you are recording live or doing a pre-recorded broadcast
A participant stated that they had had a photo taken for an article and then at a later stage the photo had been used in an unrelated story.
Emma Bickerstaff led the final discussion about making your voice heard. She emphasised the importance of contacting the right people at the right time regarding any story you may have, making sure that you target your story to the right journalist/publication
Emma also highlighted some tips on event planning:
Choose the date carefully (think of non-news days)
Get any event into journalist’s diaries
Five W’s – who, when, what, where and why?
Choose invited celebrities carefully
Key factors in getting your story across were pointed out:
Find the news ‘hook’
Pick your key messages
Check the angle
Get the local picture
The Workshop was closed with the message: The Media needs you. A handout with a summary of the presentations was distributed to all participants at the end of the session.
Prepare for and practice media interviews
Remember you are in control of what you say
Be proactive in getting your story across
Media training for people living with HIV who are willing to commit to speaking to the media (either jointly or individually co-ordinated by organisations)
Briefing for people living with HIV acting as media spokespeople on the organisation they are representing.
Evaluate media interviews (both the person living with HIV and the organisation giving feedback on how it went)
This workshop was evaluated by 36 people. There was a wide age range, the youngest participant being 18 and oldest 55. The average age was 40.
Gender
19 male, 13 female, 4 not stated
Ethnicity
15 white, 11 black African, 8 not stated, 2 other non-white
Sexuality
16 heterosexual, 14 gay, 6 not stated
Usefulness
Very useful |
Useful |
Not useful |
59%(21) |
33% (12) |
8% (3) |
15 people set themselves action points:
Try finding better ways to use media
Utilise local media
Prepare better for interviews
Become more proactive with media/editorials
Explore more training/experience
Move on to Being Supported Into Work