Public Affairs workshop

Working with the media

Ruth Collier
Head of Press and Information Office

9 March 2012
• Launch of centre for Iranian studies
• Research findings on dangers of vitamin A deficiency
• Access Fair highlighting Oxford’s outreach work
• Bodleian acquires John Major’s papers
• Inaugural lecture of Brown Chair of Cardiovascular
Medicine
• Research findings on public attitudes to immigration
• David Attenborough giving talk at Zoology Department
• Seminar series on London riots
• Academic wins £25,000 prize for neurology research
• £1m gift for bursaries for Tanzanian students
Know Know
what what
you they
want want
Ingredients

• Relevant to lots of readers/viewers/listeners

• Human interest
• Strong emotions
• Topical
• Superlatives
• Strong images
• Good quotes
+
Basics

• News is new
• A hook
• Can be summed up in a couple of sentences
• Quick to write
• Easy follow-up
Ingredients

• Relevant to lots of readers/viewers/listeners

• Human interest
• Strong emotions
• Topical
• Superlatives
• Strong images
• Good quotes
Know Know
what what
you they
want want
 Pitch at the right level

• Have you seen a similar

story in these
papers/programmes?
• Develop contacts
• www.surveys.ft.com

• www.economist.com/specialreports/
firstname.surname@bbc.co.uk
• March: Same-sex civil marriage consultation
• 5-11 March: British Pie Week
• 08-11 March: Crufts
• 9 March: US monthly unemployment
statistics released
• 11 March: First anniversary of Japan
earthquake and resulting tsunami and
Fukushima nuclear disaster
• 12-18 March: Islam Awareness Week (UK)
• 14 March: Annual 'No Smoking Day' (UK)
• 14 March: Pi Day (global)
• 17 March: St Patrick's Day
• 18 March: Mothering Sunday (UK)
• 18 March: Presidential elections in Germany
• 20 March: Spring equinox
• 21 March: World Poetry Day
• 21 March: UK Budget
Predict

• Look at existing media coverage on the topic

• Consider any controversial aspects
• What’s the bad headline?
• What evidence will be used for that headline?
• Who will comment?
• Could this be misunderstood?
Pre-empt

• Use simple language

• Say what this isn’t
• Prepare the contrary evidence
• Brief people
• Answer the tough questions
• Seize the initiative
 L
e
a
• sLaunch of centre for Iranian studies
• tResearch findings on dangers of vitamin A deficiency
• Access Fair highlighting Oxford’s outreach work
• pBodleian acquires John Major’s papers
• rInaugural lecture of Brown Chair of Cardiovascular
Medicine
• Research findings on public attitudes to immigration
• David Attenborough giving talk at Zoology Department
• Seminar series on London riots
• Academic wins £25,000 prize for neurology research
• £1m gift for bursaries for Tanzanian students
Events
Know
what
you
want
• Is it open to the public?
• Are media invited to attend (does that include
broadcast?)?
• Will you film it?
• Will the key person be available for a photocall?
• Will the key person be available for interviews?
• Will someone say something controversial or
surprising?
• Will a script be available in advance?
• Is there another body also wanting to promote the
event? What are their aims and key messages? Are
they well resourced?
 David Attenborough giving talk at Zoology
Department - dud

Is it open to the public? No

Are media invited to attend (does that include
broadcast?)? No
Will you film it? No
Will the key person be available for a photocall? No
Will the key person be available for interviews? No
Will someone say something controversial or
surprising? No
Will a script be available in advance? No
 Inaugural lecture of Brown Chair of
Cardiovascular Medicine - big news
Is it open to the public? No
Are media invited to attend (does that include
broadcast?)? Yes
Will you film it? Yes
Will the key person be available for a photocall? No
Will the key person be available for interviews? Yes
Will someone say something controversial or
surprising? Yes
Will a script be available in advance? Yes
what what
you they
want want
 Main news pages
www.ox.ac.uk/news

800,000 hits a year

Press & Information Office

press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk
 iTunes U
12m downloads in 3 years
http://itunes.ox.ac.uk/

YouTube
www.youtube.com/oxford

Guidance on making audio and video, with

contact details:
www.ox.ac.uk/public_affairs/audio_and_video/
 Facebook

University page
470,000 ‘fans’
Weekly reach >300,000

www.facebook.com/the.university.of.oxford

carolyne.culver@admin.ox.ac.uk
Public Affairs
 Twitter

University stream
http://twitter.com/uniofoxford
34,000 followers
Gaining 500-600 per week

press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk
Press & Information Office, Public Affairs
 Oxford Today

Magazine and website

160,000 circulation

www.oxfordtoday.ox.ac.uk

ot.editor@admin.ox.ac.uk
Public Affairs
 e-pidge

70,000 alumni

joanna.whiting@alumni.ox.ac.uk
Alumni Office
what what
you we
want want
 Blueprint

sally.croft@live.co.uk
Public Affairs
 Staff News
www.ox.ac.uk/staff/news

susannah.wintersgill@admin.ox.ac.uk
Public Affairs
• Launch of centre for Iranian studies
• Research findings on dangers of vitamin A deficiency
• Access Fair highlighting Oxford’s outreach work
• Bodleian acquires John Major’s papers
• Inaugural lecture of Brown Chair of Cardiovascular
Medicine
• Research findings on public attitudes to immigration
• David Attenborough giving talk at Zoology Department
• Seminar series on London riots
• Academic wins £25,000 prize for neurology research
• £1m gift for bursaries for Tanzanian students
www.ox.ac.uk/onlinemediaguidance

press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk

(01865) (2)80528