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Friday, July 19, 2013
Give Horses a Hand with the Press  Dear Readers, I have a confession. Recently, I read a wild horse news story in which a reporter interviewed a source who didn't sound credible. OK, that's a fib. I went nuts. Mentally, I raged that she sounded like a crazy cat lady in horse-lovers clothing. She made us ALL sound too emotional, invested in conspiracy theories and -- Yeah. Kind of an over-reaction. Still, since I've been both interviewer and interviewee, I have a few suggestions to make interviews EASY. 1) Know Your Subject: Memorize 3 facts which explain why wild horses should be protected -- or given shade -- or not sent to slaughter. If you're as poor at memorization as I am, write notes and keep them with you. (see above diagram) In addition, have an interesting, sad or entertaining PERSONAL anecdote about the subject which you can share. 2) Know Your Sources: USE FACTS and KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM 3) Know Your Limits: Don't say NO to an interview at a rally, a meeting, a chance encounter. If you don't know the answer to a certain question, don't fake it. Do suggest a source and then quickly offer an interesting or quirky truth about your subject. This is also a good time to use your anecdote. 99.9 % of Reporters are not out to get you or the horsesThe vast majority of recent news stories have fallen into two categories: pro horse or press release reprints. Your job is to supply information so that reporters don't have to depend on BLM press releasesGood reporters do their homework. Know your subject and you can have a relaxed conversation about it. Make reporters' jobs easier by having sources for facts and offering entertaining anecdotes. Be succinct. Remember reporters have deadlines. Some reporters -- bad, lazy, or sometimes just focused -- have a storyline in mind and are likely to ask a question that ends with ".....right?" That's your signal to ask for the question to be repeated. Listen carefully. If you agree -- "Wild horses are protected under the 1971 wild and free roaming horse and burro act, right?" say YES."There are at least a million wild horses on the range, right?" Don't agree if you don't know the answer. Have some sources in mind that you can suggest to the reporter. I trust Wild Horse Preservation Campaign or The Cloud Foundation Thanking you for the horses, Terri Labels: American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign, facts, press access, talking to the press, writing on your hands for horses Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:54 PM 0 comments  
Wednesday, February 20, 2013 We Must Be Allowed to See the Treatment of OUR Horses Dear Readers,If we can't get BLM to change their treatment of wild horses out of a sense what's humane and right, we must make them allow cruelty while the whole world is watching.
coverage from HORSEBACK MAGAZINE:
The case of Laura
Leigh v. Ken Salazar, U.S. Department of the Interior, et al continued in
Federal Court in Reno, Nevada, February 19, 2013.
Two years
ago, Leigh, a photojournalist, claimed viewing restrictions at the Silver King
roundup of wild horses violated her First Amendment rights. Though she was
denied injunctive relief, Leigh appealed.
The case
continued with an emphasis on the press and public’s diminishing opportunities
to document wild horse round-ups throughout the West, beginning in 2001 and
continuing to the present.
Witnesses included:
Elyse Gardner, humane observer at Pryor Mountain, Twin Peaks and Calico Complex
round-ups; Sally Summers, director of HorsePower, an organization which
originated Nevada license plates which picture a wild white horse and burro,
proceeds from which benefit equine rescue; Bill Bauer, a veteran observer of
round-ups in several states and Terri Farley, author of fact-based fiction and
an early observer of wild horses round-ups in the Calico Complex.
As testimony
ran into the second half of the day, Judge Larry Hicks issued a “heads up,”
saying witnesses had established variable and diminishing opportunities to view
wild horses at round-ups and BLM pens, however the court needed clarification
on what constituted reasonable viewing opportunities.
Over the
objection of Department of Interior Attorney Eric Peterson, Judge Hicks declared
Leigh “the most knowledgeable journalist to observe wild horse roundups,” and
let her take the stand to define reasonable access.
Citing the
number of worldwide readers who depend on her research, Leigh insisted “unobstructed
views” of her subjects and the ability to identify mustangs as individuals was
most important.
On
Wednesday, February 19, Federal witnesses are expected to state safety concerns
regarding public attendance at the wild horse roundups and facilities they
manage.
Labels: Attorney Gordon Cowan, Bill Bauer, Elyse Gardner, First Amendment, Judge Larry Hicks, Laura Leigh, press access, Sally Summers, terri farley Permalink to this blog post Posted by Terri Farley @ 8:13 AM 1 comments
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