Can confirm. Please listen.
I am a disabled transgender woman of color, otherkin, pagan clergy member, and civil rights organizer. I have been active in these communities (often in some kind of organizing capacity) since 2005-2010.
I have done numerous TV, radio/podcast, and newspaper interviews. All of them went well because I communicated with more experienced organizers with experience interacting with the media, and because I carefully vetted everyone I spoke to.
A legitimate journalist with good intentions will do research, find community leaders and organizers, and reach out to them directly to request an interview. Which is what happened for every interview I have ever done.
If someone puts out a general call for volunteers, it is almost always because they have bad intentions and they want someone who does not have expertise or experience with the media, whom they can easily make a fool of. No matter who you are or how charismatic or good at speaking you are, it is absolutely impossible to do an interview which cannot be edited to make you look like an idiot. The only way to look good in an interview is if the interviewer wants you to look good. No exceptions.
I have seen it happen numerous times both in the alterhuman community and elsewhere. Not only do people who agree to such interviews always get made a fool of by the media. They also usually get labeled by the community as clout chasing embarrassments who don't have the community's best interests in mind. I won't name names, but those who've been around for a while will be able to think of examples.
The only time it's not a completely terrible idea to agree to an interview is if:
A) The interviewer contacted you specifically because you are a leader/organizer/academic who represents the community.
B) You've done research on the interviewer to find out who they are and what kind of work they've done in the past.
C) This interviewer is a serious journalist who has never done sensationalist media or published an interview with someone who looked silly or incompetent (because if they interviewed someone who looked bad, it is always on purpose. They can make anyone look bad and they can make anyone look good).
D) The interviewer does not work for a media outlet that ever does sensationalist media, or which has any connections to conservative interests (which eliminates all mainstream media outlets).
E) You have spoken to other community leadership who also think you should do the interview.
@who-is-page Did I miss anything important?
