Naomi Osaka’s decision to skip press conferences at the French Open – and ultimately skip the tournament itself – put a spotlight on the pressures both athletes and the media are under. When powerful stories are shared through the media, it’s a win for all of us. But those stories rarely emerge from press conferences. So, why have so many sporting organisations persisted with them?

Aaron Rodgers sets records in every game he plays. He also records all his interviews. And he’s curious why other athletes, and anyone who talks with the media don’t.

Many journalists have cited unanswered calls as a primary pain point. And, as someone who set up interviews with numerous high-profile sports stars, nothing frustrated me more than redoing all the liaison work.

Leading journalists use Blinder to capture video and audio recordings of their media interviews by phone and computer.

Even for seasoned professionals, butterflies might still float in the stomach whilst readying for an interview. Only strategic preparation and practice create a confident, and likable, spokesperson.

Paul Connolly, an investigative journalist from Ireland and host of the first season of Netflix’s “Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons,” offered his tips to online interviewing in a recent “The Journalism.co.uk Podcast.”

When we launched our start-up Blinder, one of the first emails I wrote was to Emirates Team New Zealand. I didn’t know how they’d respond – or even if. I didn’t know anyone there. They certainly didn’t know me.

The conversations that inspired us at Blinder in 2020. #thisisBlinder