Hello folks,

I'm writing a dissemination strategy, and I'm wondering how people end up getting to talk about their work on things like Radio 5 and Radio 4 (albeit it tends to be in the middle of the night that I hear such snippets!), and in quite general newspapers/magazines? Presumably you contact them and tell them about your work to see if they'd be willing to do a piece? And if that is the case, I'm guessing on the dissemination strategy you might simply state that you will do that?

Cheers anyone!

What I am going to say is my personal opinion. I think it doesnot work like and request to disseminate your work, and I know some people do that, however, I think it is cliche. I am working for a podcasting since few months ago where we conduct a podcasting about their work and writing article and what happens that we are tracking the updates of the researchers in the field and see whether the did something great, so we have a podcasting.

In my master, I have attended science fair and there was a journalist from a magazine asked to report about my work and interview.

However, I think if you are going to appear in media/radio station I think that case that your is recognized and deserve to disseminated and the exceptional work will speak about itself.

However, we have a similar cases while few researchers tends to hype things and go to media and by the end we discover that they lie or overestimate what they did.

So, from my humble experience, the good researcher shouldnot seek for disseminating their work by asking TV/Media for instance, you can do that on youtube through telling people what you have done, conferences, this is your tools and you have the right.

In the other side, if your work really interesting, journalist passionate science and technology definitely will approach if you have authentic and original research.

Universities will typically have press offices who co-ordinate this type of thing.

If your research is 'sexy' enough they will do a press release which may or may not create media interest. At other time, journal publications or conference presentations will create interest.
Other times, stuff goes 'viral ' on social media (e.g. CERN guy with comments on women).

I would write something generic about your three audiences: public, policy makers, other researchers.
You could say that will liaise with press office.

Thank you both!!!!

TQ, it might be worth checking if you NEED to go through the press office at all. You might have to because you could be construed as representing the university. If you don't, this buys you a lot of freedom and I would consider contacting the head offices of the outlets you are interested in and pitch your idea using a short precis and an offer to write a press release of x words for them.

Personally I would prefer the freedom approach but it's worth checking.

Thanks pm133. To be honest, I am writing it to help me get the funding. I will look more into it when it actually comes to it though - so cheers for the tip.