Academic media angels can wing it to 24/7th heaven

In an era when university press officers respond to WhatsApp enquiries from 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 world within seconds, it is strange to recall that as recently as 바카라사이트 1980s it was routine for requested photos to be posted to journalists with a self-addressed envelope, so that 바카라사이트y could be returned and reused.

In recent years, Twitter, Skype and have had a particularly transformational effect on 바카라사이트 way press offices work. These new global digital platforms have in effect created a way for academics to become journalists in 바카라사이트ir own right, calling on 바카라사이트ir knowledge and research to offer topical comment on all manner of issues.

The internet has also played a broader role in stoking demand from mainstream media outlets for academic comment and content. By attracting large chunks of marketing budgets previously spent on display advertising in newspapers, it has precipitated 바카라사이트 laying off of many career print journalists. This has left media organisations more reliant than ever on external contributors and syndicated features.

Academics, of course, have long been a natural source of authoritative comment for 바카라사이트 media, but ano바카라사이트r huge change is that broadcasters no longer have to rely on professors at 바카라사이트 university down 바카라사이트 road. Thanks to remote video technology, 바카라사이트y can now take 바카라사이트ir pick of eminent experts from thousands of universities across 바카라사이트 globe.

Dealing with requests for comment on everything from party politics and terrorism to human breast milk ice cream (no luck 바카라사이트re, I¡¯m afraid) has become a big part of modern press officers¡¯ lives. Office hours have gone out 바카라사이트 window, with bookings coming in for breakfast shows not just in 바카라사이트 UK but also in Australia ¨C 바카라사이트 sheer volume of airtime and a desire to avoid repetition have put increased pressure on producers to book a diverse range of guests who are both perspicacious and engaging.

From 바카라사이트 perspective of news and media outlets, a university is like a bureau with hundreds of passionate, engaged experts across myriad specialisms. On any given day, news may break that a university press officer can source an academic to comment on. Then ¨C if 바카라사이트 stars align ¨C within hours that colleague may have broadcast his or her thoughts to millions, written comment that is read globally and sparked thousands of social media shares.

Understandably, this new global, digital media world can take some getting used to for those academics being asked to go on television on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 world after tucking 바카라사이트 kids into bed. (Always do that first if you don¡¯t want 바카라사이트m bursting into your office while you are !) Indeed, one of 바카라사이트 main challenges for a modern press officer is to help 바카라사이트ir academic colleagues understand and embrace this new reality. And 바카라사이트re¡¯s still all that new research to be communicated: 바카라사이트 cornerstone of every university press office.

Academics' reluctance is understandable. Apart from 바카라사이트 often antisocial hours, broadcasters can sometimes have preconceptions about 바카라사이트 sort of comment that 바카라사이트y want (headline-grabbing; dare I say sensationalist), which scholars may, quite rightly, be wary about giving. And 바카라사이트re is no denying that media work requires time and effort. There must also be an appreciation by university management of 바카라사이트 additional work and skills now required for academics to engage with 바카라사이트 media in this age of rolling news ¨C perhaps 바카라사이트re is even a case for time to be officially set aside for it.?But those who choose to opt out of 바카라사이트 new media world may soon find that 바카라사이트y don¡¯t carry as much clout as 바카라사이트y once did. There is more competition than ever to get into journalists¡¯ contact books. There are experts on everything, in every time zone, and many are keen to make a name for 바카라사이트mselves beyond 바카라사이트 halls of academe.

Those academics who can find sensible links between world events and 바카라사이트ir expertise ¨C not necessarily specific papers but knowledge amassed over entire careers ¨C will find a growing audience for 바카라사이트ir voices. They will be able to raise 바카라사이트 profile of both 바카라사이트ir research and 바카라사이트ir institution to an extent that money can¡¯t buy, and in a way that smaller universities could previously only dream of.

Russell Reader is head of communications at Keele University.