How to prepare for media interviews about poverty
This short, practical guide is designed to help grassroots organisations and people with experience of and expertise on poverty or low incomes to prepare for media interviews or conversations with journalists.
- Written by:
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Harriet Anderson
- Date published:
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and On Road Media are working together to explore how the UK media talks about poverty, and to support people with experience of poverty through
mentoring, peer support and media skills training.
Talking to the media can be a powerful way of having your voice and experiences heard. It can help lead to change, whether to policies or attitudes. People can find speaking to the media empowering and enjoyable.
The majority of journalists have good intentions and a desire to report accurately and hold people in power to account. Their work is a skilled profession, in a pressurised environment where they are expected to produce stories quickly. Many want to shine a light on the challenges people are facing – they often look to do that through sharing people’s personal experiences.
If you are speaking to the media, it’s about being careful, preparing thoroughly and taking care of yourself.