Re: Press Release opportunity

[Tom Droege <droege@wwa.com>]

Chris, Michael, and all,

Michael, as I recall, you have to bring a stack of copies (200?) to the
press room when you get there.  I agree with Chris.  It goes to newspapers.
 They really like this project because of the style in which it is being
done.  So we should emphasize that if we want print.  I have mixed feelings
about wanting media attention.  I have had enough, and would be glad to see
it spread around to the rest of you.  After all, I have been written up in
Ferminews.  What more could one want from life?  What is our style?  It is
almost the complete opposite of the world of Dilbert.  We should emphasize
that.  

I have started writing, and will produce something to make you all giggle.
Michael, I suspect that you are operating under the same rules that
produced last years press release.  Note that I both gave a talk and
printed up a stack of press releases.  I find it hard to believe that a big
bureaucratic organization like AAS has changed its rules.  So the last one
worked and should be OK as a model for this year.  

Meanwhile I will write something outrageous which you all will no doubt
vetoe. 

Tom Droege 

At 03:45 PM 5/4/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Stupendous Man wrote:
>> 
>>   Today, I received E-mail from the American Astronomical Society
>> regarding the poster I'll present at this summer's meeting.  They
>> suspect that the paper may be of interest to science writers
>
><snip>
>> 
>>   So, my question to fellow TASSians is, "What COULD we produce that
>> would be of interest to the press?"
>> 
><snip>
>> 
>>   If you have some ideas, make them known.  After all, everyone reading
>> this is a member of "The Public", so if _you_ find it interesting,
>> probably the rest of the world will, too.
>
>Reporters write "stories" not "papers". So you need to think "story line"
>not about a scientific result.  
>
>I think the real purpose of a press release is to make it so easy for the
>reporter to do a story that he does in fact do the story.  
>Normally you would assemble a story, a fact sheet and maybe some photos.  
>The lazy or busy ones will just paraphrase your story  But you should also 
>include pointers to reference material and other source material and
people so
>that some reporter wanting to do a more in-depth story does not have to start
>his research from zero.  They like quotes from real people so either include
>some or give out e-mail addresses and phone numbers.
>
>I also think what people are interested in is people.  So you need to
>write in human terms:  Person XX wants to do YY.  YY is hard, not been done
>before.  YY is important and interesting for following reasons....  Still
>YY is hard.  Now by some trick, brilliant idea, luck or hard work XX
>actually succeeds and does YY and, here is the payoff: An earthshaking new
>discovery.
>
>This is just what I'm remembering from a some class I took in creative
writing.
>20+ years ago.  You need a character, a conflict and resolution to the
conflict 
>with a result that makes the story worth both the reader's time and the
>character's 
>effort.
>
>The trick is to find a way to get your "histogram of sigma(mag) vs. mag"
>fit into the above 3000 year old plot line.
>
>-- 
>--Chris Albertson
>
>  chris@topdog.logicon.com                Voice:  626-351-0089  X127
>  Logicon RDA, Pasadena California          Fax:  626-351-0699
>
>
>