Want a journalist? Pick up the phone…

Who wouldn’t want their work covered by the Guardian? This blog written by the Guardian’s health correspondent is an open invitation – with delivery instructions.

www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2008/may/14/neglecteddiseases

This is not to say that the work that you would put into a press release – describing the context and the problem, and explaining why your findings are new and important – does not have to be done. Journalists do take your calls, but while they’re talking to you their mobiles don’t stop ringing and emails don’t stop pinging into their in-tray. Speaking to them directly means you have to be prepared to put across your information concisely and be prepared to answer questions, and also be around later if the journalist needs to call you with follow up questions.

And you will have a big advantage over a lot of the rubbish that journalists often receive – because you are the real thing.

Introduce yourself in such a way that it is clear that you are a reputable professional and not a public relations company with a manufactured story to sell. Surprisingly little research into issues in developing countries is actually conducted via the kind of co-operative North–South partnerships that DFID’s Research Programme Consortiums have established. This not only makes your work more credible – it has the potential to make a more interesting story. Have a brief summary of your work ready to email immediately in case you do catch the journalist’s attention. Have some quotes ready from your Southern researchers where appropriate, and from Southern policymakers if they are on board. If you can link your story to an upcoming event ¬– such as World Aids Day, a meeting of Commonwealth Education Ministers, or a relevant funding or policy announcement from the UK government – you will drastically improve your chances of success.

And finally – don’t cry wolf. Every triumph in your research is important, but not equally important to everyone. Try it out on your next-door neighbour first. If they don’t ask you What? How? Why? or even When? then maybe this isn’t quite the right story – or isn’t the right story yet.

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What is your experience of working with journalists?
Have you learned what works and what doesn’t for the journalists in your field?
Have you invested in any training – for yourself or local journalists in partner countries?
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