How To Sell Research
Nick Stewart, Science Press Manager Cancer Research UK Tuesday 16 January, 2007
Today’s newspaper is tomorrow’s fish & chip paper
Have a clear vision
Know Your Audience
Identify researchers who enjoy being in the spotlight
Real people bring research to life
Arrange media training
Don’t be a media snob!
A two-way relationship will be a productive and sustainable relationship
Effective evaluation is vital
If the reported story is not quite right, don’t beat yourself (or your staff!) up too much…
….and don’t complain to journalists too often
Example: Homologous recombination
RAD51C Is Required for Holliday Junction Processing in Mammalian Cells
* Science Vol. 303 (243-246)
The solution
• SCIENTISTS GRASP DNA REPAIR ‘SCISSORS’
• CANCER RESEARCH UK scientists have discovered a key protein that cells use to repair their DNA and protect us from cancer.
Example – Breast cancer in older women
Q. How do we get a story about older women into the papers?
The raw data
Survey: • 70 per cent of all women think they are more likely to get breast cancer under the age of 70 rather than over 70.
The solution
Give the papers an excuse to run a picture depicting youth, fame and glam
'Kylie effect' can confuse women over breast cancer risk
The vast majority of women of all ages mistakenly think breast cancer is more likely to strike the under 70s than older women.
A survey of 2289 women, commissioned by Cancer Research UK, has found that 77 per cent of those questioned thought a woman’s risk of breast cancer is higher if she is below the age of 70.
Dr Lesley Walker said: "The survey illustrates another aspect of what has come to be known as 'the Kylie effect'. Celebrities with breast cancer like Kylie Minogue and Caron Keating have attracted a lot of publicity – especially in magazines aimed at younger women. "This is very beneficial in that it raises awareness of breast cancer. But the down side is that it may also set up a chain of panic among young women while misleading older women to think that ageing is not a relevant factor in breast cancer.
Coverage
Thank you for listening
Any questions?