Another take on science in the media

It is always interesting to see how other people view the strange business of science communication. The latest example to come across the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining where Rupal Mehta has written a detailed piece Lost in translation? Science in the media.

Rupal compares science communication with bringing a product to market. Companies would never go about this, she says, "without doing their homework and establishing good links with the rest of the supply chain. Communicating with the media is no different, she explains, "every link in the chain, be it scientists, press officers or journalists, has its role to play. When one element is ‘faulty’ or does not do its job properly, the quality of the output is affected."

The article has plenty of quotes from various players in the process, on such topics as the MMR saga. The blame this one, it seems, "rests squarely at the feet of the media," according to Tom Sheldon, Engineering Press Officer at the Science Media Centre.

There are, though, times when companies have to shoulder the blame. Take coverage of research into fuel-efficient and quieter aircraft engines. No one has written about this, preferring to chew over the local and environmental implications of a new runway at UK’s Heathrow Airport.

Tom Sheldon has tried. "We phone the press officers for the big companies, and are often told there is no-one available, or are issued with a statement. I understand there is a confidentiality issue, but if you don’t put the record straight, then you only have yourselves to blame."

Rupal's view is that good science press officers can act as "the vital third link in the chain" between scientists and the media. "The relationship between the scientist and the press officer is key – ‘bad’ science journalism can sometimes be down to miscommunication between these two elements."

CERN's head of communications on the media flap

James Gillies, the poor soul who had to put up with Andrew Marr and a media circus on the day the world did not end, offers his account on what happened at at the LHC in an interview with Matthew Chalmers on physicsworld.com, CERN: the view from inside. Among other things, James puts paid to the rumour that it was all set up around Marr's holiday plans, but he does admit that "The BBC did ask if we could put the date back if Andrew couldn’t make it, and we said “no”."
What about that "black hole" scare? "Ultimately it helped us by generating interest, but it also worried an awful lot of people and that makes me somewhat angry. People were phoning us up genuinely worried about the end of the world and demanding to know who CERN is accountable to."
The interview is an interesting account of what went on at CERN, especially the aftermath, when the thing quickly experienced and expensive breakdown. There are tales of (temporarily) suppressed pictures, rewritten notebooks and, reading between the lines, one or two people who thought they could manage the news for their own purposes.
The good news, if you are that way inclined, is that there will be a second chance to experience the excitement, when they restart the LHC. There will, though, be a somewhat smaller circus.
This time we won't have to go there to see what is happening. "The whole process will be webcast. CERN was unwilling to invest in bandwidth before the 10th so the webcast fell over very early in the morning, but we’ve since had companies offering us bandwidth in exchange for having their logo displayed."
Perhaps they should seek funds from those other creators of black holes, the world's banks. Then again, they probably don't have that much spare cash lying around these days.

Recruitment: Press & PR Officer (Science)

THE INSTITUTE OF CANCER RESEARCH
(University of London)

Chelsea, London

The Institute of Cancer Research is seeking a dynamic self starter with a passion for science to join our team at Europe’s leading cancer research centre. You will have experience in journalism or public relations with a proven track record in writing medical and/or science stories or press releases. The successful candidate will have excellent science and medical contacts in national UK media. You will work as part of a team to lead on generating national and international media coverage of The Institute’s world leading research.

The Institute is a College of the University of London and is a world-class cancer research organisation with HEFCE RAE ratings of international excellence across all of its research programmes.

Salary will be in the range £25,937 to £31,231 p.a. inclusive, based on skills and previous experience. This full time, permanent post also benefits from a generous annual leave entitlement and a final salary pension scheme.

To apply, please send two copies of your CV and covering letter (including the names and addresses of two referees) together with a completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form to the HR Office, The Institute of Cancer Research, 123 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3RP quoting job Ref. A247.

Closing date: 3rd February 2009

Do you plan to cover national orgasm day?

Those of you who are aware that 31 July is National Orgasm Day may be looking for a scientific angle. After all, the Daily Mailification of much of the media in the UK means that news editors demand this sort of thing. So you may welcome this press release on The 2008 Orgasm Survey offering "early data for July issue editorial deadlines".

Three months' warning looks like foreplay extended beyond the cause of duty. Then again, you may need that long to test the widget on offer, the PelvicToner exerciser.

The press release refers to research by Emmanuele Jannini published in New Scientist in February "which seems to perpetuate the myth that 9 out of 10 women cannot achieve vaginal orgasm, in this case because of an anatomical defect".

A source for those writing about education & training

Most science writers find themselves drawn into covering aspects of education, perhaps even training, from time to time. A recent press release, Do you write about Education & Training? describes the Education Marketing and Public Relations Association (EMPRA) as "a group of Learning and Skills/FE education marketing professionals formed in response to the Foster Report on FE, and also in response to the need for a national and well-connected professional marketing, PR and Student Services support group for the sector".

The organisation says that it exists "to provide information, advice and entertainment for marketing, communications, public relations, recruitment, student services and support staff in the Post-14 training and education sectors".

There's an RSS feed to add to the growing mountain of live news sources. ABSW members in the PR can also add their own output to the streams.

Keep this one away from the news editor

New Orleans is a wonderful city, but you may not be able to get there if the newsdesk gets to read this: Reinventing the Press Conference: Chat Room Sessions from ACS National Meeting in New Orleans. They have now come up with yet another reason for editors keeping everyone at home.

The bottom line is that the Office of Communications at the American Chemical Society "is offering the news media the opportunity to join press briefings whether covering the meeting onsite or from a remote location".