[PureHarvest]

Yeah, our Dept. of Ag. has a weights and measures division. I know many people in that office and they would love the publicity, if I told them why I needed their help.

In fact, the news people are so desperate for an interesting new story around here, I could have a crew here in a few hours with a phone call and get all the video documentation I needed. They call me from time to time wanting to do some lame quick pieces about ag related stuff because they did some interviews with me years ago about local ag and gardening issues. The editor has to fill time and send the reporter out to get tape for that night. When they find someone willing to talk that can speak to a topic they want to cover, look out, your are on their list.
The bad is that they are robotic and don't listen to what you are telling them and your 5 minute interview ends up being a couple of 5 second snippits that night with some fill-in from the anchor.
The reporter definitely asks questions to cover what they want, even though you are telling them the real deal off the air before the camera is rolling.
Like the one year the reporter called me to talk about the ramifications of Russia dropping the US as a chicken supplier. They were desperate to get someone to talk about how that would effect the poultry industry here (#1 commodity here). I told them I raised birds on pasture on a small scale, so I really couldn't speak directly about that because I don't grow for the big guys who ship birds. Silence on the other end. Then she says, but can we come out and shoot some footage and ask you how this will affect the industry. I repeated my answer. She still didn't get it. She just had an assignment and a deadline and needed anybody to toss out an opinion that had anything to do with poultry.
Anyway, they look for the feelgood stuff that promotes the area in a positive way that also features an official agency.
Go figure on all of the above...