Do journalists sometimes ask you to comment on topics related to dog and cat training and behaviour—or do you wish they would? Sharing good information about dogs and cats is an essential part of helping pet guardians learn how to care for their pet using up-to-date, reward-based methods. Knowing how to communicate with the media can help you get that information across and show off your professional expertise to a wider audience.
This session will provide an overview of what you can do to make sure you rock your media interviews—and get more of them. We’ll cover the essentials of how to prepare for an interview, how to identify the message you want to get across, and what to do in the event that things don’t go to plan. Whether you have already done some media interviews and want to improve your skills or have never spoken to a journalist but want to learn more about what to expect, this session is for you.
Learning Objectives
- Develop an understanding of why pet professionals should talk to journalists and how to make it happen
- How to determine (and stick to) the main message(s) you would like to focus on
- Understand the requirements of different types of media (print, podcast, radio, TV)
- Identify the best ways to practice in advance and continue to develop your media skills
Presenter: Dr. Zazie Todd
Zazie Todd, PhD, is the award-winning author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy. Her third book, Shiver, is provisionally scheduled for publication in 2024. Todd is the creator of the popular blog, Companion Animal Psychology, and also has a column at Psychology Today. Todd lives in Maple Ridge, BC, with her husband, one dog, and two cats.
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