Providing information which can be used to create engaging content.
Information which offers an important message.
Indication of more related and easily usable information.
Communication has to be very structured (who, where, what) and the main novelty of the research should be clearly highlighted. Information should be pre-digested for further repackaging for media use.
Inform the media regularly about interesting milestones.
Creating press releases will help to create rapport with news agencies, which will play a key role in disseminating the final results in the general media.
The most important findings (well explained in simple language) should be communicated via a press releases immediately. If possible, press conference will enhance chances for publication.
Regular press releases will help to increase your “branding” within the news agencies. Getting their journalist to your press conference is important.
Your press releases used by relevant news agencies.
Be patient, systematic and punctual. Getting your news in media agency reports is difficult, but can bring huge returns.
Identify a journalist that could be interested in publishing your results and treat them as a “prior journalist” by offering exclusivity until a certain embargo date.
Do not consider success with a news agency as job done with media.
Successful dissemination needs intensive work with journalists on all levels.
Stories with depth
Information, which can be given a specific narrative and which can be explored in depth and breadth.
New information, which can be translated into the everyday life of general population.
Ability to build pieces of information into a more complex storytelling structure.
Consider the use of a personal element and graphics.
The new knowledge should be a prominent part of communication, but with a clear connection to daily life.
National aspects have to be considered (what are the research results for the particular country?).
Relevant journalists (geographically, or topically) should be identified and if possible, communication established (email, call).
Identify a group of people available for recording interviews.
Establish ties with selected journalists (informing them about the goals and processes of the research and important milestones).
Results should be packaged into story, translating the results to the daily experience of people.
Researchers should be ready to answer various questions from journalists.
Journalists prefer more direct communication (less formal than news agencies), which will give them opportunities to get additional information alongside the standard info they can pull from a news agency.
Create special items of information that can be displayed in specialised press.
A wide range of articles about your research (news, commentaries) printed in media not only immediately after results publication, but reappearing when relevant topics arises.
Do intensive mapping and communication with journalists. Make them a part of the story, involve them in research and offer exclusive info.
Develop an interesting media kit by including real facts, street interviews (can also be used in other channels) to increase interest.
Do not expect journalists to spend lot of time going through your activities on their own.
Have a compelling story ready for them, to get them interested.
Stories with emotions
Information, which can be turned into emotive audiovisual stories.
New information, which can be put into context of the everyday life of the general population.
Finding novelty in all components of the information.
Information has to be more straightforward than for print, since shorter messages more easily reach general broadcasting.
Making the message emotive will increase reception.
Interesting findings or interesting personal stories can be communicated.
Research results should be communicated with consideration of the opportunities both for visual and audio mediums. It is crucial to make the communication of results as compact as possible, without neglecting any important information.
The same channels apply as with news agencies and print. However, you can help to prove your audiovisual value by regularly communicating via videos and communicating TV journalists.
Results (correctly interpreted and giving a clear message!) appearing in major media.
Be ready to connect your research with “street” stories. TV loves combining facts with lively illustrations or interviews with people.
Help them.
Your time (if any) will be very limited. Have your main message ready and do not waste space with anything else.
Participating in discussion and bringing their own angle.
Information, which engages discussion and further exploration.
Information, which will spark interest in the field and enhance dissemination.
Potential to feed the discussion with new information.
Communication has to be user friendly (well-structured website, interactive, ability to post comments) and the team has to be active in social media.
An active approach will fuel bloggers’ interest.
The goals and progress of research should be communicated on a regular basis in social media, through various channels (blogs, videos, pictures…).
Access to broader results should be open. Unlike traditional media (which rarely has the time and capacity to go deeper), bloggers may try to look at the results from various angles. Be ready to collect feedback (blogs, comments) and actively engage in conversation with authors.
Strong online presence is the most important channel of communication.
Online presence in terms of Web 2.0, which means two-way communication with the audience.
Send direct emails to the authors of the blogs and invite them for interviews.
Ongoing multidimensional discussion (blogs, comments, retweets…) about the research and its results.
Start building your online presence soon, even before the research starts. It will be a long term asset. Create a hashtag of the project.
Do not expect anything to be self-propelled. Virality is the desired dream, which is rarely fulfilled without a lot of work. The online world needs active dissemination.
One of the best ways to communicate research results is to produce a one-page summary. This is an essential tool for helping your research create impact.
Depending on the recipient, there are different approaches to developing this summary. The following section describes how to prepare a one- page summary of your research results in order to help you communicate your findings to each of the four target groups: the general public, policymakers, academia and the media Using this guide, you can deliver your research to these target groups in the way that will be of most practical use to them, while maintaining the integrity of the information. Regardless of which group is being targeted, any summary should be written with the 4 Cs in mind:
The media can reach all kind of stakeholders, including the general public, policymakers, academia, funders, investors and the business community. Therefore, it is necessary to write a summary that can be used and understood by all of these groups. Create a 'pitch' which implies a 1-2 minute presentation which states challenge, innovative approach, and outcomes/impacts/benefits.
Define a simple sentence with not more than 20/25 words that is exciting, uses plain language and makes the reader want to keep reading.
Write as if you are writing to a friend that has no scientific knowledge and whenever possible use positive, direct and active speech by using “you”, “your”, “we” “ours”, etc. The use of analogies and comparisons with life situations is helpful, and will help the media to create a more interesting message about the results that you want to be communicated.
Always include the use of keywords (approximately 5) that will be used by the media to spread the summary, especially in online channels.
