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ALPHAGALILEO NEWS 


Since one of the common requests from journalists and contributors to AlphaGalileo was for more publicity for the service we have decided to circulate a short and, no doubt, irregular news bulletin about the service. Please accept our apologies for the unavoidable cross-postings.


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CONTENTS

Posting policy tightened
Journalists¹ address book
Daily email alert option for journalists
Europe welcomes AlphaGalileo but more to be done
Usage continues to grow
Most unusual result yet from using the service?
Email addresses of the AlphaGalileo editorial team


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POSTING POLICY TIGHTENED

More science and fewer notifications of grant awards was a recurring request from journalists in the last email survey and during a recent AlphaGalileo meeting in Paris. A typical response was this from Nigel Hawkes, The Times, ³We need more information about results - that is when stories are generated, usually. Yet I don't think there are any press officers of British universities who really pursue their own top scientists, know when they are publishing papers and where, and act on it.²

AlphaGalileo remains committed to bring science news out of the ghetto of the science pages, but never-the-less agree with colleagues that AlphaGalileo is now in a position to tighten-up its posting policy. You may recall that the policy begins, ³The site exists to help communicate the achievements and relevance of European science, engineering and technology to non-specialist audiences via the mass media.² Further guidance is given in the category of material that is ŒUsually Unacceptable. It includes, ³Routine, or omnibus announcements, of research grants.² Contributors who believe they have an exceptional piece of funding news are always welcome to contact a member of the site editorial team at [log in to unmask] for guidance.

The new press release posting form that will be introduced for the Anglo-French bi-lingual site will include a box for entering information about any peer-reviewed paper on which the news story is based.


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JOURNALISTS¹ ADDRESS BOOK

We have had a small but entirely supportive response from journalists about making at least their names and employer available to registered contributors. We hope that this will convince any sceptical contributors that the site provides almost total coverage of UK science journalists plus many others from across Europe and beyond. On Friday 23 April the site had 575 journalists registered.


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DAILY EMAIL ALERTS TO BE INTRODUCED

During May we hope to introduce an additional email alert option for journalists. This will be a daily summary, possibly despatched at around 13.30 hrs UK time. The existing individual alert system will remain available. Will be asking journalists for their preference on timing and which alert they wish to subscribe to in a week or so.


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EUROPE WELCOMES ALPHAGALILEO BUT MORE TO BE DONE

A successful preliminary meeting was convened by DGXII in Brussels last week to allow colleagues from governments,  organisations and journalism across Europe to discuss the AlphaGalileo project. Colleagues from France, Germany, Sweden, The Netherlands and Spain attended. A follow-up meeting to produce an action plan for turning the current Anglo-French pilot into a full-scale service during the year 2000 will be held possibly in late June 1999.


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USAGE CONTINUES TO GROW

On 23 April the site had:
575 registered journalists,
412 registered contributors,
1031 press releases and
172 events.

Page hits have risen from 15,283 in January to 20,675 in March.


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MOST UNUSUAL RESULT YET FROM USING THE SERVICE?

Tom Parkhill, Society for Endocrinology, emailed us that the ŒVannessa Show¹ had been in touch with him as a result of using AlphaGalileo. For colleagues not versed in British day-time television, it is fair to say the this show is not an obvious conduit of science information. Tom was also contacted by Die Welt, Swiss Television, ITN and Reuters. 

If you have had good or interesting coverage from using AlphaGalileo, please let us know. Our objective is to promote all European science and evidence of good results is essential if we are to secure longer-term funding.


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EMAIL ADDRESSES OF THE ALPHAGALILEO EDITORIAL TEAM

Peter Green (Project Director) [log in to unmask]
Alun Roberts (UK Editor) [log in to unmask]
Sabine Louet (International Coordinating Editor) [log in to unmask]
Site Editor (Duty editor) [log in to unmask]

If your message is urgent and you want to avoid a emailing a specific editor who may be away from the office, the Site Editor email address is circulated to all the editorial team.


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AlphaGalileo is the Internet-based press centre for European science, engineering and technology. Our aim is to increase awareness of the excitement and significance of European research amongst young people, industry and tax-payers via the mass media. The project is funded by the UK and French governments, and some of the UK¹s medical charities and Research Councils.

You can find out more about the service and access all releases and event details that are out of embargo by visiting http://www.alphagalileo.org.


Peter Green
Project Director
AlphaGalileo: the Internet press centre for European science, engineering and technology
www.alphagalileo.org

peter.green @alphagalileo.org
44 1793 496200 (answer phone)



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