As the value of research with impact increases, so too does the importance of first gaining access to policymakers and other persons of influence. One shortcut to doing this is through increased media coverage. Leigh Marshall explains how academics can give their research the best possible chance of being seen and read by policymakers; including by developing close relationships with […]
Category: media
New research must be better reported, the future of society depends on it
Academics looking to communicate the findings and value of their research to wider audiences are increasingly going through the media to do so. But, argues Andy Tattersall, poor or incomplete reporting can undermine respect for experts by misrepresenting research, especially by trivialising or sensationalising it, or publishing under inappropriate headlines and with cherry-picked statistics. Proper and accurate communication of science […]
Artificial divisions between science and culture hinder creative dialogue and public engagement.
Athene Donald ask why we artificially divide the world between that which is considered scientific and that which is considered culture? The two spheres are increasingly isolated from each other and the media consistently reinforce this division. The dialogue between science and culture, and indeed scientists and non-scientists, should be ongoing and properly integrated. People seem to think that science […]
Media Training for Academics: The importance of an editorial mission for creating consistent content.
There is now substantial space and appetite for academic content on the web, but maintaining momentum on these platforms can be an uphill struggle with other pressing teaching and research priorities. Kevin Anselmo looks at what researchers can learn from media companies and argues it is important to think about the driving forces that will enable you to execute your content […]
The human context of numbers: why live interviews are a particular challenge for statisticians.
The live interview format requires researchers to be concise and succinct when discussing bodies of complex knowledge. But how should researchers respond when asked questions outside their field of expertise? David Spiegelhalter recommends to spend some time prior to the interviews examining the human context of the numbers and be ready to summarise what social scientists have said about how your research relates […]
Book Review: Kittler Now: Current Perspectives in Kittler Studies
Friedrich Kittler was one of the world’s most influential, provocative and misunderstood media theorists. His work spans analyses of historical ‘discourse networks’ inspired by French poststructuralism, influential theorisations of new media, through to musings on music and mathematics. Niall Flynn notes how Kittler himself defied familiar understandings of interdisciplinary research and challenges established research models. The best essays in this volume, Flynn argues, […]
Media Training for Academics: How to avoid being misquoted by journalists.
Researchers are often wary of speaking to mainstream media outlets for fear of misrepresentation. There are certainly pressing issues with how journalists simplistically presents research findings, but delivering a clear, on-target message can help to ensure the research doesn’t accidentally get lost in translation. Kevin Anselmo offers advice on preparation and training beforehand to reduce the likelihood of being misquoted. In the midst of the […]
Book Review: Walter Benjamin and the Media by Jaeho Kang
In Walter Benjamin and the Media, Jaeho Kang strikes a near perfect balance between biographical narrative and theoretical analysis. In doing so, Benjamin’s media critique is fully contextualised, removing any notion of obsolescence which may arise from a contemporary reading, writes Andrew Molloy. Walter Benjamin and the Media. Jaeho Kang. Polity. 2014. Find this book: For the uninitiated, media theory appears to move as […]
Book Review: Heidegger and the Media by David Gunkel and Paul A. Taylor
Martin Heidegger has been largely ignored within communications studies, but this book aims to show the relevance of his work for the field. David Gunkel and Paul A. Taylor analyse Heidegger’s theory of language and its relevance to communications studies, and assess Heidegger’s legacy for future developments in media theory. Niall Flynn finds this a clear and thought-provoking read, though a touch more detail […]
Maximising luck: Six steps to getting your research noticed by journalists.
Stuart Fox traces the encounters and conversations which led to his research eventually being featured in a high-profile newspaper. He highlights here the lessons he learned about getting his research noticed by journalists and politicians. There is no simple, straight-forward … Continue reading →