Anupriya Sharma, PHAA WA Branch Vice President
Ever wondered what it would be like to do a media interview? Well, allow me to take you on a journey as I share my experience delivering my first media interview.
It all started three weeks ago when Ms. Mya Kordic, an ABC Kimberley journalist, reached out to the PHAA National Office. They wanted a comment on a story about the Djarindjin Community’s efforts to put a stop to sausage sizzles in the area. The request was then forwarded to the PHAA WA Branch, however, our Branch President, Dr. Liz Connor, wasn’t available to comment so she asked if I’d like to represent the Branch instead. Exciting as this was, the interview itself was the very next morning, and I had never done a pre-recorded phone interview before – let alone one for the media. However, I couldn’t let this opportunity to voice our support pass, so I agreed to take on the challenge.
PHAA fully supports the Djarindjin Aboriginal Corporation’s efforts to serve healthier food options in its community, and for local fundraisers in the Kimberley region.@_PHAA_WA WA Branch vice president, Anupriya Sharma, features in this @abcnews story
https://t.co/XcD7NynKr8— Public Health Association Australia (@_PHAA_) July 20, 2023
With only a few hours to prepare and aside from the media notes Liz kindly put together, I wondered how exactly I was supposed to prepare myself for this interview. Luckily, Paris Lord (PHAA Communications and Media Manager) came to the rescue with some brief media training – just in time, as the interview was only two hours away! The training was incredibly helpful; Paris posed as the interviewer, helping me practice my responses and receive constructive feedback. Key takeaways from this training were to approach the interview as if I were talking to my best friend, and to familiarise myself with the media talking points.
As the clock ticked, I practiced, received some pep talks, and even tried some power poses (you know, the ones that promise to boost your confidence!). Finally, it was time for the real deal. Mya was incredibly welcoming and friendly, which helped ease my nerves. I don’t recall everything I said during the interview, but there was one moment where I felt a bit flustered. Thankfully, I remembered the media training earlier about how I could simply restart a response if I faltered. The 12 minutes of the interview felt like a whirlwind – honestly the quickest 12 minutes of my life! I was relieved yet anxious, hoping I had conveyed all the right points. I had to wait two days until the article was published to find out.
Finally, the moment of truth arrived. Despite the hiccups and my lack of experience, it turned out well and I got our key points across. It was an incredible honour to express the PHAA WA Branch’s support for this important community initiative, and it’s certainly an experience I will cherish.
I hope my experience has encouraged you to say ‘yes’ to any future media opportunities that come knocking on your door. Embrace the challenge – it’s a fantastic chance to advocate for important issues. If you find yourself unsure about how to approach it, I highly encourage you to seek help from the Communications and Media team. Also, keep an eye out for any PHAA media training webinars – they can be incredibly valuable.
Without further ado, here’s the article for your viewing pleasure.
Happy reading!
Image: Courtesy of Anupriya Sharma