Research and media relations
Working with online, print, radio and TV
Carl Stiansen and Dionne HamilMedia Relations Officers
Durham University
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Introductions
• Who is who
• Media experience
• What you want to get out of the session
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Objectives today
• To demonstrate how the media works in practice with regards to research
• To introduce the process of gaining media coverage and achieving ‘impact’
• To help you to handle the media• To help you to deliver positive messages
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Media coverage helps:
• Profile building
• Offers of collaboration, funding
• Inform public debate
• Reach potential ‘customers’
•Boost Impact/ engagement
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What makes news?
A news story is…Relevant to the audienceTopical ControversialNewFirst/best/worst/greatestVisual Challenging to status quo Interesting
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Power of the image• Contact your media office and keep them
informed• Expert comment
• Background information for journalists (briefings)
• Major press releases• Regional releases – regional and community
• Case studies, people, images and video always
help to sell a story into the media
Appealing to the media
• On average, news editors in North East England receive 200 news releases, by email, per day• About half are deleted on reading the subject header• Only a very small percentage are used
(Survey by Sunderland University)
Formats • News desks have an insatiable appetite for good
stories. The following are common broadcast media formats :
1. Features
2. Interviews: live and pre-records
3. Cuts for news / NIBS
4. Panel discussion
5. Expert comment
6. Documentary
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Active engagement
• Use and communicate your area of expertise
• Beware of controversial areas
• Prepare for difficult questions
• Be confident and be aware
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Exercise: Communicate your research
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Tell us about your research:
Working in pairs, write down answers to the following questions:
• What is the main finding of your research work/or the main goal?
• What are the key implications e.g. in terms of policy/people/results?
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From here
Think about case studies, images, stats, implications etc
Ask your funding body about training opportunities
Talk to your press office and tell them early