Media training

Last week we has media training at CSIRO. There was a lot of hands-on exercises on how to best represent your science to the public. The first was a TV interview with a local newsman. I was still a bit groggy and we were fresh out of the gates at that point. I have another interview with someone from radio news that was later and much improved.

I mentioned earlier that I missed working with the media from my old job- it's different now because my work is a bit more behind the scenes and more complex. Most people know that river forecasts exist, but they may not know how they're made. It can be easy to just say that the forecasts are getting better because of (a) better tools or (b) better understanding, but it's more nuanced than that. One doesn't want to discount the human element of the forecasting process. And there's vast empty spaces between research and practice. And when a proverbial hammer does the job, there's no shame in not using a nuclear powered superhammer with tassels.