Presentation by Jorge Ribas, Discovery News Producer Using Multimedia to Communicate Science and Health News

Introduction Jorge Ribas Discovery News is online science news channel for Discovery Video producer, reporter, editor = PREDITOR! Covering technology, space, archaeology, environmental sciences

Case Study Collaborated with the Nature Conservancy. Most recently, I followed a karst ecologist working in the Ozarks region of Arkansas. PIO set up a three-day venture into various caves in the region.

Case Study These types of assignments lead to some of the best science reporting – in depth, engaging pieces that don ’ t feel canned or rushed. The key is providing the reporter with time and access.

Challenges We Face The reader, or viewer, needs to connect to the science. –How does it apply to their lives? –What ’ s the small picture? –What ’ s the big picture? You also want your audience to connect to the researchers in the field, the technicians in the lab.

Where YOU come in In my opinion, there’s a severe shortage of interesting, in-depth science news. Snippets here and there, someone talking about a study for 30 seconds, but that’s it. Meanwhile there is fascinating research happening everywhere. Research that you can make known to us.

Pitching Science Stories For me, the most successful aspect of science reporting is helping the audience understand the subject. To do that, I need to be able to understand what I ’ m reporting on. That ’ s where you come in: –Why does this research matter? –Why should I be interested?

Pitching Science Stories pitches are best way to get a tip. But get right to the point of what the story is, and what the research means. Don ’ t get bogged down with stats and scientific jargon too soon. Multimedia - links, photos, videos.

Think Multimedia As a video producer, I want to report on a story that I can show the viewers. I ’ d rather not interview a scientist sitting in her office discussing research. Get me on site. Interviewing, taping the researcher in her element.

Think Multimedia Pitching to a multimedia reporter requires more than a written press release. Visuals are particularly important. Photographs, animations, graphics and video create rich content. Think about all of this in advance of the story.

Packaging Materials No matter what else you provide, good background and detailed information is always important. That includes: press releases and data, statistics, backgrounds on researchers involved, history of subject, etc.

Packaging Materials Video b-roll and photos can be a very helpful resource. Doesn ’ t have to be anything fancy, edited or with graphics included. There don ’ t even have to be any interviews – that ’ s something we can do ourselves.

Packaging Materials Researchers, PIOs in the field, as far away as China, have mailed us content, uploaded it to our ftp server. That footage can be used by reporters to boost text stories online, create audio slideshows or videos.

Make Science Accessible Friday News Feedbag podcast Weekly podcast with three hosts. We choose six offbeat, interesting science studies and news and discuss. Interviews with researchers. Listeners vote on favorite story, send us s, post comments on our blog and facebook group page.

Case Study: U-Boats NOAA research on sunken German U-Boats. Press release had links to web site, which had staff blogs, great underwater video, photos. This hooked me! I called their PIO, set up the trip, drove to North Carolina to do a few segments from the boat on their next trip out.

Case Study: Ivory-Billed Always had a fascination with this bird that was labeled extinct but that people still looked for. Research online took me to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, which had this web site:

Case Study: Ivory-Billed