Communications Team in External Relations

You should feel free to contact the Communications Officer for your college to discuss any work that you think might be interesting to a wider audience.

When?

If you would like to issue a press release it is important to reach out to them before the research appears online, i.e. as soon as you have (or expect to have) a research article accepted in a peer-reviewed journal. Include a few lines of context: what the research was and why you think it's important (and what the implications are). Sharing this information with a press officer will not break the journal's embargo.

Where?

Press releases may be issued to local media, national, international or specialist media. The closer you work with a Communications Officer, the better the opportunity to target a release. You can also discuss prestigious peer-reviewed funding or honours, which may form the basis of a potential news story either within the University or more widely.

Also contact them if the journal or your funder plan to issue a press release—this way they can help field media enquiries that come into their office.

Newsworthy?

Factors influencing newsworthiness might include:

• Is the work novel or unusual?
• Would the release coincide with major current news stories or events?
• Does it challenge current thinking on a major topic (in a way that might resonate with the general public)?
• Will it change the way things are done? Address a conflict?
• Will it affect people's health or wealth?
• Is it the first, largest, most comprehensive, interesting approach (BE SURE about this, hyperbole gets you nowhere)
• Is there a strong local interest angle?
• Is there a strong visual angle, such as images or video, for journalists to use?

Expert commentary

Even when not looking to promote a recently published paper or award, you can also contribute expert comment to ongoing news stories or trends. If you feel you have something to contribute to an ongoing discussion in the media, get in touch with the Communications Office. 

The Conversation

However, an excellent new platform for academic op-eds is The Conservation—an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public. Find out more about writing for them.

Good general advice from University of Cambridge.

• Think about the key messages and the context for your research, and consider whether there are particular audiences you would like to reach. Discuss your thoughts with the Communications Officer for your College.
• Journalists often have little time and tight turnarounds. It's important to get the messages (and facts) straight in the press release. It is important to say what the study shows, but equally, say what the study can't (or doesn't) show. Any serious journalist will seek to contact the researcher behind the work, and as this is the route too higher quality media coverage, it is important to ensure you're as available for comment.
• Keep records: Keep any news cuttings the media team send you (which will also provide the circulation). In particualr, take note of science writers and other journalists who have written good news and features on research in your area, or from your own press releases in the past. Keep a record of how to contact them and use them again.
• Be aware of the University's policy on openness in animal research. Any use of animals in research should be disclosed.
• Let your funder know if you have a prominent publication (with or without press coverage). Several funders use their websites and blogs to celebrate key findings from their community, e.g. The Wellcome Trust blog.
• Read the following article in The Scientist, 'Getting the Word Out: In a shifting media landscape with a growing public interest in science, some researchers are doing their own PR.' [Includes selection of science news outlets and how to contact them].

Press releases are a necessary evil for journalists who often have to trawl through hundreds of them. Bare this in mind, and think about how to make yours stand out. The following guidance on writing a press release is adapted from the ESRC's guidance.

• Use a strong headline and clear opening paragraph to capture the attention.
• Think about your style – writing for the media is the opposite of writing academic reports. In press releases, you must start with your conclusions and then support this in the following paragraphs.
• Separate the main news from any technical information (which can be attached separately as Notes to Editors). Distil the essence of your research into three or four points.
• While emphasising what your research shows, also consider what the study does not show (or can’t show), and mention this where there is scope for the study to be misinterpreted.
• Back up these points with facts and figures.
• Ensure your release covers the five essential questions – who, what, why, where and when?
• Add a conclusion that outlines the main policy implications or the 'way forward'.
• Keep it concise and simple (one page ideal, two pages max) and jargon-free.
• Be concrete, factual and specific.
• Don't qualify or hedge your results any more than necessary – avoid phases like 'on the one hand', 'on the other hand', which may leave your audience feeling that the research is inconclusive and therefore not worthy of attention. Similarly, saying ‘further research is needed’ suggests you haven't reached a conclusion worth writing about!
• Be clear on the messages you want to convey.
• Quotes can help bring the story to life.

It's a good question. While there can be a degree of fear at the prospect—the loss of control once the news is out and how people will interpret it—with a bit of preparation, you can make it work well for you.

The news media is possibly the best way to get your research out to a wide (general) audience, though of course it isn't now the sole way of doing so. It can:

• Enhance your profile/reputation
• Establish your expertise in a wider sphere
• Open up other opportunities to engage
• Help your research reach the communities you need to reach

Digital Footprint

You can help retain control by having your own (a personal website, social media, blog). This allows you to capitalise on the positives of a story, and add value to it, yet also be responsive to any negatives or misconceptions—people genuinely appreciate additional commentary from the scientists involved.

With a bit of strategic thinking, honing the messages you want to get out and audiences you want to reach, the media can provide a significant pathway to research uptake.

More information

But don't take our word for it—read what the Science Media Centre has to say in their leaflet 'Why engage with the news media?'