Public broadcasting television station wanting interview?

I had a lady call this morning and back this afternoon requesting an interview with me about the summer study on deer farming and disease risk that is going on in the Indiana legislature this summer. I would appreciate the mentoring of those on this forum regarding this issue.

The lady requesting the interview is from WTIU a public television station. Her name is Gretchen Frazey. Not sure of the spelling of her last name. I requested some time from her before I decide whether to do the interview. I lack the education and scientific background to be commenting on something as complicated as the CWD issue. I don't want this public television network station to find someone who is more uninformed to interview. I don't know of anyone on our board who can properly handle this. She will interview someone and I want it to be the right person. Any advice and the wisdom of deer forums would be greatly appreciated.

Is this the same person that contacted Jim Staats?

I have made arrangements to refer this gal to our PR firm and will decline her interview. I would have loved to have set her up the way Ryan Sabalow did those he interviewed. I have some serious doubts how qualified she would be at stumping me with science or animal health questions. My research about her leads me to believe this would have been more of a political interview which I would have excelled at setting her up with my own questions.

The problem you have is, she can edit the footage to suit here needs or wishes.  She can leave with you thinking you did well, but after she edits it and adds comments that you cannot respond to, it changes the whole discussion or perspective.


Gary

I have some very large pens that are full of 6' tall stinging nettles. I would have made the videographer and her bring and put on sterile garb to enter my pens and would not have answered any questions until they took video of my prized 10 point buck. I would have limited her access to only the pen I would have put him in by himself full of woods with stinging nettles. I have a 200" clean 10 point that is 24" wide. He is as pretty as any buck she would ever find in the wild. He is spookier and crazier than a high limb squirrel. I would have sent her into that 15 acre pen to try to video him. I would have required that she allow me to tape her in the pen,the interview and be allowed to provide it to other news outlets. I would be taping them in the nettles. I would have also tried to ask her most of the questions. She would have been itching so bad she wouldn't have had the fortitude to take the time to ask me much. I know they want to tape deer with ear tags standing at feeders. That wouldn't have happened.

Johnathon thats what they want.... Sabolows squirrel photographer that fell and busted his but on the ice took video from 400 yards. But in the video it looked like you was right on top of them!! Sabolow ruined me of ever talking to another reporter period. Because reporter is not anything but a story teller and its there story to tell, period. Sabolows first words when we went thru the gate and the bucks pen was on the left was..... I thought all these deer were tame, and theres not a deer close.... Did he ever report that not ALL the deer were tame

I would have made sure to let her know to research how the prion that causes CWD can leave the ground into the stems of alfalfa hay as it grows. There could be a chance the prion could follow the growth up the stem of the stinging nettle weed as well. Furthermore, both my neighbor with the cows and I import truck loads of alfalfa hay from the CWD hot zones of Wyoming where there are no deer farms or fenced hunting preserves. In addition, I believe my deer have become genetically immune to CWD from eating the imported hay loaded with prions everyday, but I think one of my neighbors cows might have it now. My neighbor got another load of cows just in case from Texas yesterday. They are all drooling with EHD so all the wild deer in the area will certainly die of EHD soon. I don't know if its all the rain or what but beware this year squirrel hunting the nettles are tall and extra fuzzy!

Bell - All the woulda coulda shoulda's are great.  But these people are PROFESSIONALS!  Their entire career is based on making the truth whatever they say it is!  There is certainly 1 person, possibly 2 in our ENTIRE industry that I would trust to have any type of meeting, discussion, or interview with any level of reporter.  It just isn't worth the risk and most people don't even see it coming.  


I love the fight in ya, but this is not the way... 

Michael

I agree, that is why I quickly decided to decline her interview request and direct our PR firm at her. It is humorous to think about irritating her. That TV station is the equivalent to NPR on the radio and the area around Bloomington where she is based is a melting pot of liberal wacky PETA people and environmental idiots such as those who spike trees that are being selectively harvested in our state forest etc..

I agree with Barry, sablow does moniter these forums daily!! Sabolow first contacted me and said he was gonna do a FAIR and HONEST article on deer farming period. And then he started asking what I thought about the deer escaping in southern IN. So he went from doing a fair story then to a deer escaping to CWD and then to high dollar big horns. What these guys are after is a STORY period. Its about ratings and awards, and they dont care how they get them. He can tell the world how he is a life long deer hunter BULL!! And I called him out on this comment on his facebook page. He had just moved here from CA. So how many whitetail they have there..... He is a duck hunter and yes we have many public places to duck hunt. But he kept telling me there is NO deer hunting places under 2 hrs from Indy. Fact of the matter is its all about ratings and these story tellers will do what ever it takes!!!

We respectfully declined the interview today but offered to answer her questions if they were submitted in writing. She accepted and e-mailed them to us.