In addition to research requests, /r/veterans often attracts attention from journalists looking to interview veterans. In the past, these requests have been largely denied. We, as moderators, have tried to create a community based on what the community wants. As such, and based on a pending request, we have chosen to poll /r/veteran members to find out if we should allow media to post requests for interviews here. To be clear, these requests would be treated in a similar fashion to requests from researchers. They would need to check with moderators first, and share a little about the story. There good arguments for and against. For: * It is good to get the voices of veterans out there. /r/veterans has a different mix of veterans than many organizations like VFW and the Legion, which are often the go-to for media. Our demographics skew very differently - as our membership spans the demographic spectrum. * Our members are adults, and might be interested in an opportunity to share their story. * Moderators would still be able to filter out the bad actors (to the extent possible). Against: * Media outlets are largely for-profit entities, and /r/veterans has always avoided for-profit activities. * Unlike studies, media interviews are rarely anonymous, and there is a risk of self-doxxing. * Regardless of intent, a media organization creating a post in /r/veterans could be construed as self-promotion, and that is a slippery slope. * Once you give an interview, you lose control of it, unless you can work that out ahead of time with the reporter. Please vote, and if you have suggestion for criteria, or a general comment on the question, please comment! -- moderators