Become a Media Spokesperson and Help Increase Public Understanding of the Benefits of Geriatrics Care
The AGS Communications Department receives calls each week from the media requesting interviews from experts. Most requests are for telephone interviews, comments on a particular issue or general expertise/information on specific, age-related health topics. In an effort to handle these requests more efficiently, we ask AGS members to volunteer to become active participants in the AGS spokesperson database.
The prospect of speaking to the media may seem intimidating at first, but AGS Spokespeople who have participated in a number of interviews, have found their interviews and experiences with reporters to be both fun and interesting.
This is an excellent opportunity to convey your interests and passions about geriatrics in an effective way that can have a far reaching impact. Participating in interviews with the press is one of the ways you can raise awareness about any number of geriatric issues and have an effective voice in the media and other public forums. Help spread the message!
Working with Volunteer Spokespeople
Each volunteer spokesperson will be entered into a database, along with the topics s/he has identified as being her/his areas of expertise. As requests come in from the media, the AGS Communications Department will:
First - Identify an appropriate spokesperson from the database (according to topic and sometimes geographic location)
Second - Contact the volunteer spokesperson to ascertain his/her availability
Third - Facilitate scheduling an interview between the media and the volunteer spokesperson
* Note: Interviews with reporters and members of the media typically last no more than 10 minutes. They are most commonly conducted via telephone given availability in your schedule.We will not refer any members of the media to an AGS volunteer spokesperson without first confirming that s/he is available and willing to speak on a given topic.
If you have any questions about the program please contact Jillian Lubarsky at jlubarsky@americangeriatrics.org.
