How to Media Relate
Talking to the media about a particular expertise or passion might seem easy, but not knowing certain details of the media interaction process often prevents science communicators from sharing their knowledge and expressing their enthusiasm to journalists and, through them, to their final audience, the public. My first article in Communicating Astronomy with the Public … Continue reading
How to Write a Press Release for Astronomy Outreach Events
If you experience the dilemma of a writer in front of a blank piece of paper when having to write a press release for your astronomy outreach event, here are a few tips to help you get the ball rolling. 1. Answer three questions Q1 What is the objective of your event? Is it a … Continue reading
A New Model of Communication
Looking back some years, things were pretty clear in terms of communication process and flow of information. Organisations sent out press releases to mass media, which acted as gate keepers and reserved the right to distribute it or not to the general or more specialised public. Consumers were then either impassible or persuaded by the information bits. Everyone knew its role in this scheme and surprises were rare.
Fast moving forward, we experience today a chaotic explosition of information, in which RSS feeds, lists and other news aggregators barely keep up or keep us informed. We’ve certainly long pasted the one way communication of the Mad Men area, but for sure we no longer are in the two-way model either. One-way, two-way or the high way? Where are we today?
Oana Sandu
Astronomy Communication Guide 