Local News Wants to Interview Me About Bitcoins

[praxeologist]

A reporter for my local paper interviewed me a few weeks ago and the story finally ran today (not online yet I guess). Now I just got a call from the local news wanting to interview me. I told them I would call them back in a couple hours but I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it.

What exchange is even good to use nowadays? (don't say mtgox)

One thing that the guy said was "talking about the risks" of using bitcoin or some such thing, so I feel like they will frame Bitcoin in a bad way. The reporter for the paper was pretty fair but had to mention that a local prostitute was accepting bitcoin.

Should I give the local news a soundbite?

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[error]

A local prostitute accepting Bitcoin? More details please!

As for the TV news, go for it. If you're in the US, you can always mention CampBX.

[airdata]

bit-prostitutes!

[Yuusha]

Of course you should. It doesn't matter if they're planning to frame Bitcoin in a bad way, because they're going to do that regardless of if they interview you or not. You could contribute in making Bitcoin look better.

[elggawf]

I would just tell the truth with the state of exchanges... MtGox has floundered a few times and are clearly a small company that grew way too fuckin' quick - if they can get all the air back into the balloon they may just make it. None of the other exchanges have had the opportunity to demonstrate they can do any better (though at least two of them do talk pretty big, about having guys who've worked in financial systems before and such, and judging solely from the way their software acts from the outside it looks like they'll be in a slightly better position).

I think saying anything else is just disingenuous at the very least. If you tell people that TradeHill or CampBX or whatever your favorite exchange is is the hot new place, and people look at MtGox has all the volume still, they're going to wonder why. There's also the risk of backing a company and then having them go to shit right in 3 months.

We're at a crappy time right now, because there's no good answer to the question "what's the best exchange?" Only time will tell.

[qwk]

Do bitcoin a favor and make it clear that it is still in its infancy.
Discourage people from getting on board anywhere on the mainstream media.
Their audience is better off not getting involved at the moment.

[TheBitMan]

A reporter for my local paper interviewed me a few weeks ago and the story finally ran today (not online yet I guess). Now I just got a call from the local news wanting to interview me. I told them I would call them back in a couple hours but I wasn't sure if I wanted to do it.

What exchange is even good to use nowadays? (don't say mtgox)

One thing that the guy said was "talking about the risks" of using bitcoin or some such thing, so I feel like they will frame Bitcoin in a bad way. The reporter for the paper was pretty fair but had to mention that a local prostitute was accepting bitcoin.

Should I give the local news a soundbite?

They might edit what you say. I just saw a video litarlly 2 seconds ago and someone got shot and they asked this kid "are you going to stay away from guns when you get older?" And the kid said "No, I am going to have me a gun" that's all they showed but he really said he wants a gun because he's going to be a cop..

[BusmasterDMA]

I'd focus on success stories.  Meze Grille, for example.  Focus on the benefits to local businesses and that viewers can expect to see and hear more about bitcoins in the months and years to come.

No need to endorse any particular exchange.  You could just say that exchanges are popping up like daisies around the globe.  Although if you feel you must mention an exchange (and you are in the USA), I would be inclined to mention CampBX.  

If the conversation steers towards prostitutes, drugs, etc, point out that bitcoins are designed to function similarly to cash, and that like cash, their uses can vary wildly.

[xcooling]

Encourage them.. more people buying bitcoin and using it, increases the demand and value.

[BusmasterDMA]

This thread had some talking points:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=31005.20

[Anonymous]

Don't mention "cryptocurrency" or the Federal Reserve.

[praxeologist]

I called the guy back and told him I was busy, which is actually kind of true. They seemed to be in a hurry to run the story tonight, but I did answer some questions that this guy assisting the reporter had.

I hadn't known about CampBX last I was paying attention to bitcoin, but I did mention them along with the fact that exchanges are still in their infancy. I know that I wouldn't get back into accepting bitcoins until some exchange had 2-factor authentication.

The article just says that a Carlisle (PA) woman has posted online ads saying she accepts bitcoins for her $100/hr services. Searching for bitcoin on craigslist turned up nothing though.

Don't mention "cryptocurrency" or the Federal Reserve.

I tend toward speaking my mind, which is part of why I was reluctant. I thought they might edit me into some clip where I sound batshit insane. I know the idea that we can't just print our way to prosperity is counterintuitive 

Anyhow, I will scan in the article sometime if it doesn't go online and see if I can get a clip of whatever story the news runs.

[teflone]

Do bitcoin a favor and make it clear that it is still in its infancy.
Discourage people from getting on board anywhere on the mainstream media.
Their audience is better off not getting involved at the moment.

lmao...

[geek-trader]

"(don't say mtgox)"  ??

Who's better?  They all have issues.

Anyway, good for you boosting BTC locally.    And the local news is always going to hunt down some tidbit like the local prostitute, and edit what you say to make the point THEY want to make.  Probably for the best you did not go on camera.

[hugolp]

I'd focus on success stories.  Meze Grille, for example.  Focus on the benefits to local businesses and that viewers can expect to see and hear more about bitcoins in the months and years to come.

No need to endorse any particular exchange.  You could just say that exchanges are popping up like daisies around the globe.  Although if you feel you must mention an exchange (and you are in the USA), I would be inclined to mention CampBX.  

If the conversation steers towards prostitutes, drugs, etc, point out that bitcoins are designed to function similarly to cash, and that like cash, their uses can vary wildly.

+1

[Johnny Pizza]

Tell them it;s the currency of the future (i mean, why are we all here?). The more investors we have the higher the price will go!! We gotta get all we can from theses opportunities or were gonna stagnate. Get the new money in at al costs. 

[Gavin Andresen]

For future reference:  the Public Relations wiki page has good advice:
  https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Public_relations