Getting into the media

• Why use the media?
• How to get your story into the media
• The Media Release
• Targeted articles
• How to deal with unexpected media contact
• The CRC Reef media team

Why use the media?

Only about five people will ever read your thesis.

But if you get a story in the CRC Reef Newsletter, or on our website, thousands of people will read about your research.

Even better, get into the mainstream media: if you appear on the TV News, 30,000 people could be watching. For a newspaper article, perhaps 50,000. On the ABC website, you’re talking millions. And if you happen to get into the Canberra Times, the Prime Minister could read about your research over his morning coffee.

Using the media has many benefits for researchers:

• High profile research can attract more funding.

• One of the most important ways to raise public awareness and influence behaviour is through the media.

• Your results could influence managers and leaders in policy decisions.

• Publishing your results to a wide audience also helps advance scientific understanding.

• You may also have an obligation to report your findings if you are funded by a public research agency.

How to get your story into the media

If you are a CRC Reef researcher and have a story you would like to get into the media, you should contact the CRC Reef media team. We will then work with you to get the story out to the appropriate media.

Don’t wait until you’ve published your results – good times to talk to the media are:

• at the beginning of your research

• if you plan to involve the community

• if you are organising an event, workshop or launch

• if you are doing interesting work in the lab or in the field

• as you discover new results throughout your project

The Media Release

The media release is a way to attract media attention.

CRC Reef’s media team will draft a media release based on conversations with the key researchers, and information supplied by the researchers. This document will then be checked by the researcher, and any other relevant scientists and managers.

A media release is a short (1 side A4) information brief, written to attract journalists to the story. It includes a catchy headline, key facts, quotes from the important players, and their contact details. It may also have information about available video footage, photographs or picture opportunities.

The media release is distributed by email and fax to up to 1000 print, radio and television outlets in Australia and overseas.

Some newspapers will print the media release in full as their story, but most journalists will want to follow up the story with the researcher.

It’s the media team’s job to find a story in your research that will be attractive to journalists. This is also something you might want to think about yourself. A few tips to having a newsworthy story:

• Is it new? News is about what happened today or yesterday, not last week. Is there a current event that you can shape your story around? If what you are talking about isn’t very new, focus on the application or implications of your work that won’t date.

• Have you solved a problem? What are the implications of your research for the wider community? Is it a breakthrough in some way?

• Is there good vision? Pictures are vital to selling a story – video footage of your research, especially in the field, will always make your project more attractive to television news. Newspapers also need quality still photographs to illustrate your story. Try to gather these assets when you are doing your most photogenic work – normally in the field.

• Is there a real example? The media prefer to illustrate stories with examples than to deal with abstract ideas and generalities.

• Is it local? Audiences want to know how this affects them personally, so if there’s a local angle, use it.

• What does it mean for you? Stories are more meaningful if they are told in personal terms. Don’t be too academic, and don’t be afraid to say how you feel about your work.

Have a look at some of CRC Reef’s recent media releases.

Targeted articles

If you have a particular audience that you want to reach, such as fishers, port workers, or community groups, we can write targeted articles featuring your research for magazines and newsletters accessed by that audience. Contact the CRC Reef media team if you are interested in this approach.

How to deal with unexpected media contact

Journalists like to be able to call on ‘independent experts’ to comment on breaking news. If you are called unexpectedly it is a big compliment – the journalist values your opinion.

However, it’s important not to comment off-the-cuff without finding out about the background of the story first. Also make sure you are commenting within your area of expertise and refer journalists to others if you feel they are better placed to comment.

• Be co-operative but ask to schedule an interview for later, once you have found out the background to the story and prepared a response.

• Ask the journalist for any information they have on the story.

• Talk to the CRC Reef media team about what you plan to say.

• Give a simple response and don’t be drawn into a conversation.

CRC Reef’s media team

	Chloe Lucas, Media and Publications Officer Tel: 07 4729 8450  Mobile: 0408 884 521 Email: chloe.lucas@crcreef.com
	Louise Goggin, Program Leader, Communication and Extension Tel: 07 4729 8404  Mobile: 0402 243 116 Email: louise.goggin@crcreef.com

See also:

• What to do if you are mentioned in a CRC Reef media release
• Getting into the media