I do hope that people who talk to scientists about dealing with the media
adapt their presentations to the audience. My audience was bright young
scientist doing PhDs. Not experienced medics conducting clinical trials, or
PR folks who are "outputting stories," whatever that horrendous phrase might
mean.
It can be confusing to consider medicine and science in the same light when
talking about the media. The only time that the tabloids wander into science
is when they talk medicine or particle physics. These people were not in my
audience.
Outside these narrow topics, science usually gets a kicking and is badly
reported. It is not something that a young researcher working on their PhD
should approach without serious thought.
I also tell the audience that it is much harder to write for a tabloid than
for a "broadsheet". Way back in the lists of time, the Daily Mirror had
consistently good science coverage written by some of the best journalists
around. These days, I fear, are long gone. Now, I suppose, the equivalent
would be the Daily Mail.
I did tell the psychology researchers in my audience that they should talk
to the BPS to get a better understanding of how to deal with the media for
that area of science.
As I said, good teachers, I gather, like to tailor their message to mean
something to the people sitting in front of them. Isn't that what the whole
PEST machine is about?
MK
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mary
Sent: 3 March 2009 22:06
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
I see what you are getting at, Mike, but have to say that this approach
isn't always appropriate or useful.
When I was working at the MRC I went to talk to a group of scientists who
were looking to recruit a large number of women to a trial which involved
taking a dietary supplement while trying to get pregnant. They said that
they didn't want to discuss the trial with the tabloids, but would talk to
The Times...... I had a great deal of trouble in persuading them that, if
they were looking to recruit women of childbearing age, they might do better
concentrating on papers with a larger and younger readership.
M
Mary Rice
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael Kenward
Sent: mardi 3 mars 2009 19:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
When I talk to scientists about working with the media, as I did last
Thursday at Sussex, I deter them from talking to the tabloids. They arrive
with an agenda that cannot really accommodate "proper" or even improper
science.
MK
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Newson, Lesley
Sent: 3 March 2009 15:37
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
The policy of encouraging academics to explain their work to the public is
well established. Is it perhaps time we discussed the value of a policy to
DIScourage academics from seeking to publish in the Daily Express nonsense
that is dressed as science.
I would like to hear David Holmes' side of the story - and the opinion of
the institution that employs him. I once had a colleague that got lots of
press interest on the basis of something he just mentioned in passing to a
journalist and the journalist made it into something huge. My colleague was
very embarrassed and we all felt sorry for him.
I hope that David Holmes feels embarrassed. If he does not, we should help
him to feel embarrassed.
Lesley
________________________________________
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science [[log in to unmask]]
On Behalf Of Jon Turney [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 03 March 2009 11:20
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
" I do think it's harsh to dig out completely unrelated news stories from 5
years ago to try and discredit a guy who is not online to defend himself ...
think that's a bit below the belt."
although, (sociology alert) this is why reputational currency is hard to
maintain when everything you (or I) have ever said is available forever on
the net.
The Facebook generation may not care about this, some say. I find it, er,
sobering.
-----Original Message-----
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf
Of Chris Stokes
Sent: 03 March 2009 10:46
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
His theory on how the mistaken belief that mice love cheese got a grip is
pure genius. And he got that into a Scientific American podcast
(http://www.sciam.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=0006C5C9-03D2-1507-83D283414B7F
00FF), the Times Higher
(http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=204937§ioncod
e=26), the Mail
(http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-403925/Mice-hate-cheese-new-study-r
eveals.html) and plenty of other discerning publications, no doubt. The
research behind his theory was sponsored by the Stilton Cheesemakers'
Association.
He's named too in 'research' done by the bed company, Silentnight
(http://www.silentnight.co.uk/plaincontent.aspx?pageID=716). How prescient
has this proved?:
'As well as doing more work in bed, due to wireless communication, we could
definitely see beds taking up residence in our offices. Larger purpose built
beds may allow less intimidating and tiring versions of meetings. Horizontal
meetings with ceiling projectors could even give birth to lateral
conferencing, where comfort and clandestine snoozes may improve attendance
and stamina.'
Interesting that as a psychologist specializing in 'social relationships',
among many other things, he wasn't able to diagnose himself, though, before
this:
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/86/86636_jealous_rage_of_tv_cr
ime_shrink.html.
None of this, though, does anything to exonerate journalism, unless all
other academic psychologists simply refuse to talk to the media, which
strikes me as a smidgeon unlikely.
Chris
________________________________
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf
Of Michael Kenward
Sent: 03 March 2009 10:10
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
It is interesting to see so many knees jerking in the direction of the
journalist's groin.
I will let you all into a secret, there are academics out there who delight
in, and seek out, this sort of media coverage.
Unfortunately, his on-line CV seems to be a good five years out of date. (He
refers, in terms that are themselves dubious, to the "Foresight Cyber Trust
and Crime Prevention Project Workshop" in January 2004.) But it does show a
fair involvement with the media:
http://www.psychology.mmu.ac.uk/staff/psychology_academic/dr_david_holmes.ht
m
David Holmes is hardly a "media virgin" picked over by a venal press.
Interestingly, this "work" seems to be outside of his normal area of
expertise:
http://www.rihsc.mmu.ac.uk/staff/profile.php?surname=Holmes&name=David
_______________________________
Michael Kenward OBE
Have words will travel
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[mailto:[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf
Of Ian Jones
Sent: 3 March 2009 09:03
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?! Yes it is unethical
Yes, it is a shoddy piece of work. (Not sure that it is unethical though.)
Two things are worth pointing out:
- neither piece seems to have been written by a science correspondent
- before we get too outraged, it's worth checking out Dr Holmes's website
(http://www.psychology.mmu.ac.uk/staff/psychology_academic/dr_david_holmes.h
tm). The man is clearly no stranger to engagement with the media.
Ian Jones
Isinglass Consultancy Ltd
2009/3/2 Newson, Lesley
<[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
American colleagues often look enviously at Europe because there is a
greater acceptance of Darwinism in Europe. But I sometimes think that I
would be healthier if people rejected evolution rather than swallow this
kind of nonsense.
I hope that David Holmes of Manchester Metropolitan University is
complaining like mad about this.
Lesley
________________________________________
From: psci-com: on public engagement with science
[[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf Of mico
tatalovic [[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>]
Sent: 02 March 2009 20:41
To: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Subject: [PSCI-COM] Shopping study?!
Is it just me or is this really bad, if not unethical science journalism:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4803286/Shopping-ist
hrowback-to-days-of-cavewomen.html
Apparently Neanderthals are our ancestors
(cavemen=Neanderthals=ancestors?!), and an anonymous 'study' funded by a
mall (!) was originally reported by:
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/86334/Primitive-lot-these-shoppers
Mico
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