1. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Journalists are from Venus, Scientists are from Mars Presented by SeaWeb and Pacific Islands News Association At the 7th South Pacific Conference on Nature Conservation and Protected Areas

2. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. The Plan… Introduction Goals / Perceptions True Confessions Media / Scientists’ Cultural Differences Analysis / Message Box Mock interview activity Discussion & Wrap-up

3. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Worlds in Collision JOURNALISTS…SCIENTISTS… Support first/ then conclusion In depth Uncertainty Specifics Credentials matter Rational Want more data Peer reviewed Conclusion first/ then support Quick overview Certainty Generalizations Perspectives matter Emotional Want it now Not peer reviewed

4. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Common Perceptions About Journalists The media are all the same Journalists aren’t interested in accuracy untrustworthy, devious… “they’ll misquote you” Journalists don’t really get it …“they miss the point” Journalists emphasize conflict too much Journalists give scientific outliers a platform

5. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Caveat things to death Overly interested in process Lack a bottom line Can’t see the forest for the trees Speak “jargon” Most interested in talking amongst themselves Common Perceptions About Scientists

6. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. “Horror” Stories So have any of these perceptions become reality to you?

7. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Survival Tips No such thing as “off the record” If you are being pulled in a direction you don’t want to go, head back to your messages Know what the headline should be Don’t say “No Comment” If you can’t comment, explain why Do admit if you don’t know Say what you can, then put in qualifications if you must Ignore minor errors

8. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. A breaking event, not a gradual decline Compelling images of destruction, “if it bleeds it leads” A clearly defined villain Human drama – health, jobs vs. conservation conflict Animals are affected – preferably “cuddly critters” An easy-to-understand problem, little gray area A local and immediate impact There Are Criteria For Getting Media Coverage Of Environmental Problems

9. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. 1.Its where there is new, unusual or counterintuitive information. 2.It’s where something’s happening - someone is doing something, discovering something. 3.It’s where controversy or conflict exists. 4.It’s where the topic has impact, relevance and momentum. 5.It’s based on a premise that can be explored intimately, but not necessarily comprehensively (limits). Not necessarily the whole story. 6.It’s where it excites YOU. Where Is The Story?

10. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Reality Check What do journalists need? What are the challenges of being an environmental reporter?

11. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Why should I get involved? Scientific understanding is low. Public trusts scientists. If you want to stimulate the knowledge base, you can tell your story best. By understanding the media process, you can take ownership of the information conveyed to the public. Managing the message helps ensure scientific integrity and accuracy.

12. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Scientists Are Perceived As Having Higher Ethical Standards Than The Press Or Government Rate the honesty and ethical standards of people in various fields: very high, high, average, low, very low. Data from Fox News/Opinion Dynamics May 2000

13. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?

14. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. SENDER RECEIVER CUSTOMIZE CONTENT & DELIVERY Message

15. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. SO WHAT? Depends on the Audience Each person wants to know why this matters to them. Think about their values, expectations, needs.

16. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. WHO SUPPORTS THIS? / WILL IT MAKE ME LOOK GOOD? WILL IT WORK? / WHO SUPPORTS THIS? CAN I PUBLISH? IS IT NEWS?WILL IT SELL? WHY DOES THIS MATTER TO ME? DOES IT ADVANCE OUR AGENDA? So What? Policy Makers Managers NGOs Scientists Media Public Message

17. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Message Box: Take a few minutes to fill in a one-sentence description of the issue and four supporting facts/arguments which answer the listed questions. Issue Benefits? Problems? Solutions? So What? Obstacles?

18. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Message Box Issue Benefits? Problems? Solutions? So What? Obstacles? Global fisheries catch statistics are flawed - big time. - Future Food Security - Better Economic Decisions State of Global Fisheries Country stats need to be vetted & there needs to be third party /independent monitoring -Getting reliable data [accountability] -Flawed impression regarding the state of the world’s fisheries

19. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. How to Use Your Message Box Use as talking points for interviews Frame a Press Release (e.g. of a new pub’n) Frame an op-ed Frame an abstract or cover letter on new pub (e.g. Science or Nature) Use them to storyboard your website Use to explain “what you do.” To bridge back to your points

20. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Effective approaches for Outreach Re-framing the Question: Synthesis Paper Interdisciplinary Science: a broad spectrum of players leads to added credibility, heft, and robust synthesis. Consensus Statements Op-eds Books

21. © SeaWeb. All Rights Reserved. Let’s Practice Mock interview and feedback Followed by Q&A