Episode 430: The Long Weekend Rant Episode

Defender Radio and The Switch

Given that it’s a three-day weekend here in Canada, and people away, outdoors, and generally not in their offices. Next weekend it’s Memorial Day for our friends south of the 49th, which means they’ll be away, outdoors, and generally not in their offices. Rather than try to force an interview, or rush one that isn’t quite ready, we thought this would be a good time for host Michael Howie to sit, think, and record something more of a rant, and a little glibber, then you’re probably used to with this show.

Michael’s background is journalism, and his journey into learning about wildlife started when a lot of other reporters stopped asking questions – finding sources to speak on behalf of the animals in stories, pursuing the facts behind witness accounts of conflict, and avoiding sensationalism became vital in his work.

But all of those negative things seen in wildlife reporting, including sensationalism, fast but inaccurate or incomplete reporting, and a lot of assumptions, can put the animals, and readers, at risk. Join Defender Radio for a special long weekend episode on media, sensationalism, and how it’s all of our responsibility to get it right.