Doesn’t the Science Media Centre do this already, for free?  And they will put journalists in touch with scientists who are good at communicating and really know their stuff, whereas this service would seem rather to encourage people who want personal publicity.   I can’t see many journalists using it, to be honest.

Mary

 

 

I have had the following message from this organisation after a brief appearance on TV complaining about the failure of scientists to understand the media and how scientists need to present what they do to make their work interesting to journalists.  I said that I would pass it onto people on this list and you may wish to pass it on to scientists you know. The caveat, of course, is that it costs to register with them.  I am passing it on because he has a more general point beyond advertising the service.

Jonathan Osborne
King’s College London


Expertsources is an online directory of UK Experts (in all subjects) available to the media. Our site is widely used by more than 2,000 journalists to find specialist comment on news, current affairs and news features.
 
There are a number of science experts registered with us. We want to attract many more:
* to give science experts more opportunities to raise awareness of themselves, their organisations & their subjects; and to broadcast their opinions
* to provide journalists with expert comment and ideas for different angles on stories/features.
 
Unlike other specialist areas such as health, transport, politics etc - scientists willing to be available to the media are proiving difficult to recruit. Many complain science is being ignored and yet are very reluctant to help 'sell' it to the public in any way.
 
Many of the scientists registered with Expertsources use complicated jargon as their keyword expertise (those words & phrases journalists use to find them). For most, the keywords chosen will never be searched.  
 
In its simplest form - journalists who want someone to comment on stories involving baldness or hair loss do not, generally, search for an expert in tricology (although that's what they usually get)!
 
To stem the decline in the number of science students/teachers, you are right to argue that all branches of science should make themselves more relevant to life in the 21st Century. If that means making science 'sexy', then so be it.
 
There is a terrific opportunity, via sites such as Expertsources, for specialists in Chemistry, Physics and Biology to promote themselves to journalists working for newspapers, magazines, radio & television in a far more 'attractive' manner.
 
With many years' experience of working within the media, we would be willing to talk to any science-based organisation to explain how to promote and market themselves and their members far more effectively.
 
This approach may be frowned upon in some academic circles. But probably there is little alternative if the decline in enthusiasm and interest in science is to be reversed. We're nearing the time when the only reason to invite a science expert onto a television programme is to talk about the lack of interest in their subject!
 
We would be grateful if, as you suggested, you would pass on the details of www.expertsources.co.uk <http://www.expertsources.co.uk>  to any science organisations or associations which you think would benefit by adopting a more pro-active attitude to their PR.