media tips and tricks

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    Media Relations TipsBut first. Is it safe?

    Ensure that you are not speaking to the media beforeyour intellectual property has been protected.

    Check with the UBC University Industry Liaison Office

    to determine what you need to do about that if indoubt.

    Check with any industry/academic collaborators beforespeaking to the media to ensure theyre fine with it.

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    Media Relations TipsWhats the story angle?

    Make sure you clearly understand the ANGLE of whatthe reporters story truly is. This might be the singlemost important thing you can do for a potentially goodinterview; one that reflects your knowledge well.

    Repeat back what you think they want from you toclarify that youre actually on the same page.

    Prepare to speak to that angle only. It can make thedifference of a quote that is informative making youlook like the intelligent person that you are, or wordsthat seem inane and dont educate.

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    Media Relations TipsQuotable Quotes and Analogies

    Try and come up with an analogy before the interviewthat helps describe your research or current project.Test it out on a friend who is not in computer science. Ifthey dont get it, keep doing it until you hit upon one

    that works to really help aid their comprehension. Thisisnt always possible or desirable for everything,obviously.

    Come up with an engaging quote or two (about your

    ongoing research) before you ever need to use them.Try to think of quotes for print media versus TV/radio.Make sure they are as short as possible for TV/radio.

    i i i

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    Me ia Re ations TipsThe Boy Scouts got it right. So can you!

    Be Prepared! Be Prepared! Be Prepared!

    This is your cold call to the unwashed masses. Becauseof their very specialized knowledge, professors oftenassume a higher level of knowledge than is actual inothers. Its better to assume zero knowledge. Then, keepexplanations as straightforward as possible. And, get tothe point with pithy, controversial, interestingly worded

    sentences (somehow).

    Got your pitch? Good. Now make it even shorter! You willprobably need help figuring out the best one, or if theretruly is a viable way to package your message for themedia. Ill be happy to help figure that out with you.

    Write down a few key messages about yourtopic/research/project that you want to get across in theinterview.

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    Media Relations TipsBe Even More Prepared! Ask yourself why Joe Public should care about what you want to tell

    them. If you cant answer that convincingly then mass media probablywont care about whatever it is that matters so critically to you.

    Put your story into an appropriate context to frame your explanation.Dont assume that people know the current status or historyofwhatever technology or science you are speaking about. Its your jobto incorporate that history into your explanation (if its important to

    the explanation.)

    Ask yourself, is it the first time, is it the last time, is it a newinvention, will it impact ways of doing things in some small or largeway? Is it weird or unusual in some way?

    Has it got some connection to a current hot topic in the media (i.e.mining, emergency preparedness, new wireless devices, whatever theflavour of the day is). If you notice a possibility, tell me right then.This wont matter within a week of first seeing the initial story in theNew York Times or The Globe.

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    Media Relations TipsTell them! Tell them what you told them! Tell them

    again!

    If the word is scientific and critical to your explanation(which, of course, is so often the case in science) usethe scientific word, then explain it in simple language

    immediately following.

    Say in full, any acronym that is typically used in yourfield. Try not to use acronyms at all. The onlyexceptions are those internationally recognized ones

    such as NASA that you can guess most of the world willbe familiar with.

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    Media Relations TipsFor the Record

    There is no such thing as off the record to a reporter.If you dont want them to use it, dont say it! If theyrereputable they may interrupt you and say, If I cantuse it, I dont want to hear it. Its hard, based on thenon-controversial media coverage we get that this willever come up, but hey, you never know.

    No comment! Please, especially if you are everapproached by a television camera, do not use thesetwo words together ever. It will make you look verysilly. Say something more like, Im not the right personto speak to that. Im sorry I dont have knowledge ofthat. Anything but no comment! (Also incrediblyunlikely to come up for you but I thought Id mention it)

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    Media Relations TipsIf youre going to be interviewed on TV

    Wear bold, single-colored clothing on top andstay away from patterns. (Youre not theweatherman:-)

    Try to think of it as a conversation, not aninterview. That puts the focus on the content,not you, and may take off some pressure.

    Speak at a moderate pace. Be yourself. Befriendly. Reporters, especially related totechnology, arent looking for dirt, theyrelooking for insights/predictions.

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    Media Relations TipsYou are being interviewed for a reason

    You will be doing yourself and the reporter a favour if

    you feel there are better questions they could ask. Finda way to pose them yourself and then answer them. Ifthey seem like theyre missing the mark in theirquestions, take control in a friendly way.

    Reporters want the most current, the most uniqueinformation they can get for their story; something noother outlet has reported.

    Being a reporter is like going fishing. The better thequote, the better the interview, the better the catch orstory. Thats why its to your advantage to come up witha great quote that explains something about your story.It makes a reporters job so much easier. It makes itmore likely you will not get cut from the story.

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    Media Relations Tips

    Yes, the deadline is today!

    Always ask when the reporters deadline is once theyneed you to get back to them. Deadlines are critical anddaily.

    The interview is in the wings. Its a great story. The Profsays, Yes Ill do it. Next day. Phone rings. Reporterwants Prof. Prof forgot to tell PR person they were goingaway for a month and didnt leave contact info for theirflying/conference days.

    Your whereabouts and availability are critical once thestory is a go. In a big story, one day of lostwhereabouts can matter.

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    Media Relations Tips

    Asking to see a story before publishing (although

    understandable from your point of view) marks you as naveabout journalism. If the reporter is unsure of some technicaljargon, (and if they are smart), they may choose to run thoseparts of it by you. Otherwise, yes, life is risk. Academics writein a style that is not conducive to journalism. Journalists,therefore, do not want to risk that your edits will make their

    story untenable to the general public. And, they havedeadlines to meet.

    However, dont hesitate to let me or the reporter you talked toknow when they have incorrectly represented your research ora quote that was significant. It should not be ignored. It canbe fixed in a later publication if it warrants it.

    Canada needs more scientists who can explain the significanceof the science theyre working on. It may be worth gettingexperience with the media if youre up for it. That depends, of

    course, on your own personal philosophy.

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    Media Relations TipsWhat Do I want to hear about?

    Telling me about the awards you and/or your students win isnice (and its easy). Keep doing that. But, what makes for realstories that Im more interested in are things that are in theworks such as new industry collaborations, new researchdirections, new projects, grants. Im interested in your opinion

    on the hot topics in technology. Im interested in newdevelopments in your research even when nothing hashappened yet thats tangible. Research, in the process ofunfolding, can be news all on its own.

    Telling me about something that happened 3 months ago isnot news. Its history. I can put history on our Awards Page forthe Department record. But, I cant do anything else with it.

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    Media Relations TipsPublicity has no place in your reality.

    You have no time. You have too much work. You dont thinkof the media at all. In comparison to everything else,

    attempting to even think about the types of things theseslides suggest must seem laughable to you.

    Why would you bother?You might not. Its your personal decision.

    But publicity is another form of education. Publicity can lead to collaborations with people you

    wouldnt otherwise meet. Publicity can inspire a high school student to take a

    course that could lead to them choosing CS. Publicity can be seen by funders and parents of students.

    Publicity can reach thousands of people bringing yourresearch and the Department into their consciousness.

    Finally, no matter how self-actualized you are, its alwaysexciting to see your name and/or photo in the news.

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    Media Relations Tips

    If you are approached by a media outlet directly,through a telephone call and you do an interview, Iwould really appreciate hearing about it. Why? Becauseit then lets me know what sorts of things the media areasking about in relation to computer science. What theyare interested in.

    It could also mean me making a connection between aslightly different version of the story they had in mindbased on the expertise that I know exists here thatthey know nothing about. (To be clear, Im referring tofull interviews or stories. I dont expect RichardRosenberg, Ron Rensink or Alan Mackworth to tell meevery time a media outlet contacts them for a quote.)

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    Media Relations TipsWho are you?

    For the purpose of all media interviews that arise from ourDepartment, regardless of your many other scientific

    associations, I would please ask that you describeyourself as a professor in the:

    UBC Department of Computer Science

    Repetition and consistency breed familiarity out there inthe world. Its important that our Department isdescribed with a single consistent title which is:

    UBC Department of Computer Science

    If you ever have questions about the potential of a research project to getsome publicity, please ask me. Set up an appointment, call me at 822-

    1440 or [email protected]

    And, just so you know, getting publicity for computer science is hard. Itsan exception, not a regular event.

    Just ask your colleagues, internationally!:-) Good Luck!

    mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]