Here’s the gist of what I said: Ladies, gentlemen and vegetarians.
“No, I’m not picking on them but more of that later.
“When I started in journalism 40 years ago we used to write stuff down on bits of paper.
“Yet here I am, despite the advent of the new journalism and new media, doing what I’ve always done, hopefully better, but still in essence the same.
“I think that shows that despite the numerous changes that have happened in the media and elsewhere people still want information, they want a good, informative story, well written and easy to understand.
“And that’s important in a sector increasingly beset by challenges thrown at it by Mother Nature, financial circumstances, politics and the winds of public opinion fanning fires lit by lobby groups pushing their particular interest.
“It’s important that those in the sector have a voice and the rural media gives them that.
“It can also highlight the opportunities the challenges bring with them.
“For instance how can we sell more stuff to the likes of those vegetarians, the health-conscious, the elderly.
“In other words use their preferences to get them to buy our stuff.
“So, in thanking the sponsors I’d ask them to think of their involvement in these awards as something more than a gesture to the media.
“Despite the increase in citizen journalism and social media, the rural media, both traditional and online, still has an important and necessary role in this sector and I believe you recognise that by supporting these awards.
“You are visionaries who are making an investment in the future of your sector. I thank you.”
It was a good night and the sponsors’ representatives made some good points, especially about the future of the sector.
They are doing what they can to get farming’s good news out to a wider audience and the media are aware of the need to do this and support those efforts.
Allied with that is the need to attract more people, especially youngsters, to the rural sector and let them know they don’t have to get their hands dirty if they don’t want to. Many can have the best of both worlds – just look at the story about industry stalwart Rob Davison in the latest edition of Farmers Weekly and on this website.
Much can be done by targeting youngsters to get them thinking about careers in the primary sector but the general attitude of urban people is more difficult.
They are constantly being bombarded by messages from groups with an axe to grind and many no longer have a rural connection so have no knowledge or experience the make judgements on what they are being told.
So, it’s largely down to farmers to be ambassadors for rural life. They literally are the ones with skin in the game. They walk the walk but perhaps they need to do more talking the talk – put a human face to the lifestyle they are passionate about.
Standing round grizzling that those townies don’t understand us won’t do it. It’s up to the rural sector to deliver a positive message.
I ended my brief visit to the limelight by saying we need a Team New Zealand style effort to unite the country and make everyone proud of our rural sector. After all, it’s what puts food on the table, both literally and figuratively.
