The science of communicating science Xavier Kirchner FCRI – IMAE Program, Director June 2008 art Jaume Vilalta TVC – QuèQuiCom Program , Director

Showing our cards The three simple messages Not appearing in the press should not be an option for a scientist Journalist play their part but they play on the scientists’ side TV has its own rules You may as well follow them 3 2 1

Not appearing in the press should not be an option for a scientist

Journalist play their part but they play on the scientists’ side

TV has its own rules You may as well follow them

Why are we here? Scientists – journalists a love-hate story What is our role in the game? What are we looking for?

What is our role in the game?

What are we looking for?

The hate story Why is there a gap between “news generators” and “news broadcasters”?

Why is there a gap between “news generators” and “news broadcasters”?

Scientist? We have very little social presence Trivialities and banalities are news, why aren’t really important things? Journalists have no idea about science … they don’t really make the effort to understand our explanations and they usually make mistakes

We have very little social presence

Trivialities and banalities are news, why aren’t really important things?

Journalists have no idea about science

… they don’t really make the effort to understand our explanations and they usually make mistakes

Journalists? We get worried about audience … … who cares about science and scientists? In any case, when something really important happens, we publish it Small achievements are not news items They are always late when reporting news It is too complicated … … let’s leave it for the specialized press

We get worried about audience … … who cares about science and scientists?

In any case, when something really important happens, we publish it

Small achievements are not news items

They are always late when reporting news

It is too complicated … … let’s leave it for the specialized press

… the world from the other angle There are architects, doctors and lawyers who are “media stars”; Being in science is really important but why aren’t there any media scientists? Scientists are difficult to get, they are always “too busy” to talk to journalists

There are architects, doctors and lawyers who are “media stars”; Being in science is really important but why aren’t there any media scientists?

Scientists are difficult to get, they are always “too busy” to talk to journalists

Love story (of convenience) Two players that need each other?

Two players that need each other?

The interdependence diagram (cynical view) Science Media Research $ Audience Advertising $ Votes Politicians (Society, Decision makers, …) ? This is what we are talking about

Media is us (today) Science is our future

Media is us (today)

Science is our future

Surviving and evolving is a matter of adapting Have scientists and scientific institutions adapted to the Information Society?

Why? (adapt – to appear in the media) To get known, to get recognition To get more money To be able to defend ourselves … … to be able to attack others To “pay tax” and be able to keep working To give back to society … helping to make it more intelligent and more perceptive Somebody (a boss) asked me to do it … ?

To get known, to get recognition

To get more money

To be able to defend ourselves … … to be able to attack others

To “pay tax” and be able to keep working

To give back to society

… helping to make it more intelligent and more perceptive

Somebody (a boss) asked me to do it …

How? (to adapt) A matter of understanding US "Gnothi seauton“ (Know yourself – Socrates) S trengths W eaknesses Objectives: What to explain? Why? THE OTHER Know the context O pportunities T hreats Know the rules Riding a bicycle is not the same as riding a horse ?

US

"Gnothi seauton“ (Know yourself – Socrates)

S trengths

W eaknesses

Objectives:

What to explain?

Why?

THE OTHER

Know the context

O pportunities

T hreats

Know the rules

Riding a bicycle is not the same as riding a horse

Knowing the rules What do journalists need? To fill a newscast or a program To do it cheaply and quickly To give the news and get attention Not to be left behind To be able to repeat what others say To get celebrities or charismatic characters who communicate well

To fill a newscast or a program

To do it cheaply and quickly

To give the news and get attention

Not to be left behind

To be able to repeat what others say

To get celebrities or charismatic characters who communicate well

Knowing the rules Is what I did a piece of news? A piece of news is … … a novel breach in the order of things susceptible to becoming a reference point for a community News  “new” News  change “ permanent” & important Target context

A piece of news is …

… a novel breach

in the order of things

susceptible to becoming

a reference point

for a community

“ ...reference point for a community” Clearly define the target community … … and do not lose focus The wider the community, the larger the step If the step is large enough it is understandable If it is not understandable it is not large enough The shorter “the distance”, the larger the impact and the significance

Clearly define the target community … … and do not lose focus

The wider the community, the larger the step

If the step is large enough it is understandable

If it is not understandable it is not large enough

The shorter “the distance”, the larger the impact and the significance

Could what I did / have done / do be a piece of news? Don’t let the lack of communication skills spoil a good news item Scientists are and may be shown as interesting people There is life beyond the news reports … … but it needs a context Not everything scientists do is a piece of news … … but … … most of the things that scientists achieve have a great impact on people’s lives … ! It's a matter of communication

Don’t let the lack of communication skills spoil a good news item

Scientists are and may be shown as interesting people

There is life beyond the news reports …

… but it needs a context

Not everything scientists do is a piece of news …

… but …

… most of the things that scientists achieve have a great impact on people’s lives …

Moving on Zooming into the 3Ws: What , HoW and Who

Zooming into the 3Ws: What , HoW and Who

What New Close Subject Character Unique ? Or it could be shown like that It's a matter of communication

New

Close

Subject

Character

Unique

How Sex, lies & videotapes Conflict  Situation Dialectics – Disagreement – Fight Protagonist – Antagonist Discovery  Process Exploring with new eyes Participation ? Envelope Story Boost Two ways of engaging the audience It's a matter of communication

Conflict  Situation

Dialectics – Disagreement – Fight

Protagonist – Antagonist

Discovery  Process

Exploring with new eyes

Participation

Who Two ways to get attention You are the news You are the character If you are the character you have the right to generate news “per se” ?

You are the news

You are the character

If you are the character you have the right to generate news “per se”

A character who wants to communicate, does communicate Branding It's a matter of communication

Rivalries reinforce characters Differences generate interest It's a matter of communication

You can be respected even if you talk about complex subjects

The power of overcoming difficulties Personal testimonies endorse messages and get attention

Personal testimonies endorse messages and get attention

People identifies with challengers either “anonymous” …

People identifies with challengers … or with a well known name

The power of love A powerful Who can help any What&HoW

A powerful Who can help any What&HoW

Facts are from Mars (or even Saturn) , people are from Venus COLD FACTS could be boring (and/or tough) Specially if they are slow or difficult to visualize WARM PEOPLE are always interesting Don’t commit the sin of modesty, … get out of the closet, … but with something to say * Much better if you are the news It's a matter of communication

COLD FACTS could be boring (and/or tough)

Specially if they are slow

or difficult to visualize

WARM PEOPLE are always interesting

Don’t commit the sin of modesty, …

get out of the closet, …

but with something to say

Good casting Key factor for success Not the wisest, not the savviest …  The best communicator Bosses can do well, … OR NOT Being engaged with the subject  passion helps to transmit love When you are the character  you have to perform

Not the wisest, not the savviest …  The best communicator

Bosses can do well, … OR NOT

Being engaged with the subject  passion helps to transmit love

When you are the character  you have to perform

You know how to whistle, don’t you? Just put your lips together - and blow You are the character  you have to perform Get out of the lab, out of the office Make pictures Use your hands Use what you have on hand Film what you do and film yourself Make mock-ups / do experiments Don’t be shy … a “second take” is always an option

You are the character  you have to perform

Get out of the lab, out of the office

Make pictures

Use your hands

Use what you have on hand

Film what you do and film yourself

Make mock-ups / do experiments

Don’t be shy … a “second take” is always an option

Passion for communicating Enter the heart to get into the brain Be honest, be sincere, be yourself Forget stereotypes, forget patterns Don’t imitate 

Enter the heart to get into the brain

Be honest, be sincere, be yourself

Forget stereotypes, forget patterns

Don’t imitate

A scientist who communicates is not doing science Communication strategies go first Avoid “Pangea’s syndrome” Lose your fear of making a fool of yourself Simplifying does not mean devaluing

Avoid “Pangea’s syndrome”

Lose your fear of making a fool of yourself

Simplifying does not mean devaluing

Love & Communication takes two Messages: Focused, clear and loud News  target audience Audience  people People  “level” What is the “right level”? Very intelligent 13 year-old student How science impacts his/her life and his/her community? #

News  target audience

Audience  people

People  “level”

What is the “right level”?

Very intelligent 13 year-old student

How science impacts his/her life and his/her community?

How to ride a horse Getting adapted to TV Some recipes for success

Some recipes for success

Knowing “the other” - 1 TV dumb box & magic lantern A picture is worth a thousand words. (some of them not intentionally) … but very few ideas  Communicating Science  select & renounce  It's a matter of … TV

A picture is worth a thousand words.

(some of them not intentionally)

… but very few ideas

Knowing “the other” - 2 One team, one success Participating in a TV program means becoming a member of a team Accept sharing your experience with the other team members knowledge A common objective: to succeed Your success is their success Their success is your success Journalists play on your side

Participating in a TV program means becoming a member of a team

Accept sharing your experience with the other team members knowledge

A common objective: to succeed

Your success is their success

Their success is your success

Journalists play on your side

A concept is a concept, is a concept Tangible Human scale Sizable in € Intangible Too big, too little “ Invisible” Hidden Abstract Actions Using words (and drawings, and analogies, but they are useless without words). Metaphors, analogies From real situations  to general concepts Never the opposite It's a matter of … TV

Tangible

Human scale

Sizable in €

Intangible

Too big, too little

“ Invisible”

Hidden

Abstract

Actions

Using words (and drawings, and analogies, but they are useless without words).

Metaphors, analogies

One idea per program Keeping focus  holding attention What matters is the result not the way not the method Transmitting knowledge is not building knowledge The path is full of traps, don’t fall into them experimental processes Amusing anecdotes… KEEP FOCUSED ! 1 

What matters is the result

not the way

not the method

Transmitting knowledge is not building knowledge

The path is full of traps, don’t fall into them

experimental processes

Amusing anecdotes…

KEEP FOCUSED !

From phenomena to explanations Don’t start by building the roof first Start near the ground, telling stories … Don’t start formulating prouncements Always go from the example to the concept from what is particular to what is general

Start near the ground, telling stories …

Don’t start formulating prouncements

Always go

from the example to the concept

from what is particular to what is general

You do not paint the final picture Putting the puzzle together is somebody else’s role Somebody will have to summarize,  it will be better if you do it  or better if you help with it Make the editor’s job easier and your time & effort useful: speak clearly don’t use subordinates don’t use long sentences don’t use too technical words … … or explain them 

Somebody will have to summarize,  it will be better if you do it  or better if you help with it

Make the editor’s job easier and your time & effort useful: speak clearly

don’t use subordinates

don’t use long sentences

don’t use too technical words … … or explain them

Working with journalists Journalists are human too…

Journalists are human too…

Your team to get to “your fans” With a little help from your friends: Professionals who help you to communicate well

With a little help from your friends: Professionals who help you to communicate well

Circuit road blocks Bad communication between scientists and their press office no communication at all delays The press office blocks direct communication between scientist and journalists Scientist do not dedicate enough time

Bad communication between scientists and their press office

no communication at all

delays

The press office blocks direct communication between scientist and journalists

Scientist do not dedicate enough time

Preparing the work of the team Anticipate the news Allow the journalists to follow the process Document the steps Get permission and image rights Prepare a clear and understandable dossier

Anticipate the news

Allow the journalists to follow the process

Document the steps

Get permission and image rights

Prepare a clear and understandable dossier

… and then, the audience opens the oven …

We have success when the audience is able to explain what they have seen to their neighbors and friends “ There is nothing true that cannot be explained in simple words” Cristian Ruiz i Altaba

the audience is able to explain what they have seen

to their neighbors and friends

“ There is nothing true that

cannot be explained in simple words”

Cristian Ruiz i Altaba

Thank you! Now let’s talk Jaume Vilalta <jvilalta.b@tv3.cat> Xavier Kirchner <xavier@kirchner.cat>

Backup slides

“ a novel breach of the order of things ” Alteration in the “status quo” of the community The more novel and unexpected … … the more impacting / striking / effective Accidents are sudden, progress is slow and sometimes predictable After 15

Alteration in the “status quo” of the community

The more novel and unexpected … … the more impacting / striking / effective

Accidents are sudden, progress is slow and sometimes predictable

“ ...reference point for a community ” What has impact on people’s lives … … in material, emotional or intellectual aspects … or What has significance … … helps to better understand the world in which we live After 16

What has impact on people’s lives …

… in material, emotional or intellectual aspects

… or

What has significance …

… helps to better understand the world in which we live

Some road blocks on the way … “ Science” as a subject has not yet a slot on the daily media programming on a permanent basis There is no local “scientific star system” Nobody to follow and imitate After 17

“ Science” as a subject has not yet a slot on the daily media programming on a permanent basis

There is no local “scientific star system”

Nobody to follow and imitate

One idea per program Keeping focus  keeping attention A single engine: one powerful and meaningful story To widen the angle  risk of loosing focus Sub-stories MUST be in line and to reinforce the main idea 1 After 38

A single engine: one powerful and meaningful story

To widen the angle  risk of loosing focus

Sub-stories MUST be in line and to reinforce the main idea

Communicate science doesn’t mean to follow the Scientific Method What matters is the result not the way not the method Transmitting knowledge is not building knowledge The way is plenty of traps, don’t fall in them experimental processes funny side phenomena … KEEP FOCUSED ! 1  After 33

What matters is the result

not the way

not the method

Transmitting knowledge is not building knowledge

The way is plenty of traps, don’t fall in them

experimental processes

funny side phenomena …

KEEP FOCUSED !

The information circuit One of Dante’s circles? * * 2 golden rules Be polite Understand each other’s job After 43 Press office 1rst filter & “sale” Journalist Synthesizes, verifies, ... Journalist Negotiates with TV managers Audience interprets Scientist Generator

* 2 golden rules

Be polite

Understand each other’s job