It’s not exactly like the classic tragedy of the commons, where the commons collapses because everyone is trying to use it in their own interest, without coordination and regulation.
The tragedy of the COVID science-communications commons happens precisely because individual scientists and teams are contributing to the commons furiously but without coordination, in hopes that their contribution will advance our common understanding.…
In response to my email Friday, “Media Are the Sprinkles,” a list member who directs communications for a research center responds:
…Very relevant from my perspective. Content-first approaches are what get you in the news anyway. It just takes a little time and effort.
Years ago I asked a consultant to consultants (it’s nice work if you can get it) for a recommendation on a good media relations person.
I’ll never forget his response — first a sharp laugh, and then: “That’s still a thing?”…
When you’re translating or explaining a new piece of research or a research-based idea, you need to keep three dimensions in mind:
It’s not enough to say: “We’re doing a video explainer of our paper.”
As Cosmo Kramer said: “I don’t argue with the body, Jerry. It’s an argument you can’t win.”
Five years ago — intrigued by studies showing fasting caused beneficial changes in mice, including decreased inflammation and obesity prevention — I began a regimen of time-restricted eating to lose weight.…
People are buzzing about a new piece of content whose subject is in your expertise wheelhouse. It’s getting traction, as they say.
But you hate the piece. In your expert judgement, the content cherry-picks the evidence. Or it’s sensationalistic. Or it’s uniformed.…
I’ve written before: Beware of successful launches.
By which I mean: A great launch is nothing without a follow-on campaign to keep your idea percolating in the minds of your network and beyond. Like I keep saying: Repetition is important.…
At some point, if you care about science, you will have to find 30 minutes and a stiff drink and read Alvaro de Menard’s 8,500-word post “What’s Wrong with Social Science and How to Fix It: Reflections After Reading 2578 Papers.”…
I am anything but a COVID skeptic, as you know. But if you find the tone and conclusions of these three pieces as rare in your media diet as I do for mine, you might consider what that might mean for the relentless grain of communications about COVID from researchers these days — and how research is failing to give us the wider overviews we need for knowledge and action:
Before you react with anti-McKinsey prejudice, think: It would be much easier (and safer) for a big management consulting house to sell a dire scenario right now, with consulting services to match.…
“I want to reach multiple audiences.” Every research communicator hears that over and over from researchers.
I’m not going to do what most communicators do — smile sweetly, stopping at the brink of condescension, while inwardly rolling my eyes until my retinas detach.…