News Service: Frequently asked questions
Why work with the news media?
- You can reach thousands, perhaps millions, of people through newspapers, television, radio and online media.
- This coverage helps support UC Davis' land-grant missions of teaching, research and public service.
- These extra efforts help keep people informed of UC Davis' aspirations and accomplishments, fostering an understanding of and support for the campus.
- The public's perception of UC Davis' credibility and integrity is influenced by news coverage of the campus and how faculty, administrators and staff announce news and respond to reporter inquiries.
- Popular press accounts boost the attention research journal articles receive, according to a UC San Diego study.
Why work with News Service?
- Our staff knows the media well (most of us began our careers there), and journalists rely heavily upon us.
- Under campus policy, the News Service is designated as the primary conveyor of campus news and is the office responsible for media relations, with the exception of medical sciences (UC Davis Medical Center Public Affairs) and athletics (UC Davis Athletics Media Relations Office).
- Every year, the UC Davis News Service staff fields more than 3,000 media-related calls and interacts regularly with the news media and members of the UC Davis community. The News Service is UC Davis' hub for campus news and issues. Our activities include:
- informing people about how UC Davis makes a difference, both locally and throughout the world;
- providing reporters with information and connecting them with faculty experts for interviews on timely news topics;
- broadening public awareness of research and teaching accomplishments on campus; and preparing faculty, administrators and staff to deal effectively with the media.
How can the News Service help me?
We identify audiences, determine the best way to get the word out and target the most likely media for messages.
We get your message out by:
- issuing hundreds of news releases and news tips, covering subjects such as scientific discoveries, major events, congressional testimony, honors and new books; and
- using e-mail, letters, meetings and telephone calls to interest reporters and editors in feature stories on campus.
We get you publicity by:
- consulting on the best way to publicize your news to the appropriate audiences; and
- advising on how to reach the campus community, general public and the news media, and assisting in developing talking points and communications plans.
We arrange news conferences and media availabilities.
We improve your communication skills through media training:
- providing interactive workshops, including on-camera training, to build your confidence and skills in working with journalists.
- advising on message development, speech and presentation. (To enroll, contact Paul Pfotenhauer at (530) 752-6397 or pepfotenhauer@ucdavis.edu.)
We make media connections for you by:
- setting up meetings for top administrators;
- targeting key publications for a news release; or
- calling a reporter to give them a story suggestion.