the art of communicating science
DESCRIPTION
Jaume Vilalta (Director of the Quequicom TV program in the TVC) and Xavier Kirchner (Director of the IMAE program in the FCRI) explain what's the key to Communicate Science. [email protected] [email protected]TRANSCRIPT
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The scienceof communicating science
Xavier KirchnerFCRI – IMAE Program, Director
June 2008
art
Jaume VilaltaTVC – QuèQuiCom Program , Director
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Showing our cardsThe 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 rulesYou may as well follow them3
21
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Why are we here?Scientists – journalists a love-hate story
What is our role in the game?What are we looking for?
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The hate story
Why is there a gap between “news generators” and “news broadcasters”?
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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
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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
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… 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
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Love story (of convenience)
Two players that need each other?
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The interdependence diagram(cynical view)
Science
Media
Research
$
Audience
Advertising
$
VotesPoliticians(Society,
Decision makers, …)
?This is what
we are talking about
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Media is us (today) Science is our future
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Surviving and evolving is a matter of adapting
Have scientists and scientific institutions adapted to the Information
Society?
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?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 …
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?How? (to adapt)A matter of understanding
US "Gnothi seauton“
(Know yourself – Socrates)
Strengths Weaknesses
Objectives: What to explain? Why?
THE OTHER Know the context
Opportunities Threats
Know the rules Riding a bicycle
is not the same as riding a horse
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Knowing the rulesWhat 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
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Knowing the rulesIs what I did a piece of news?
A piece of news is …… a novel breachin the order of thingssusceptible to becoming a reference pointfor a community
News “new”
News change
“permanent” & important
Target context
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“...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
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!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 It's a matter of communication
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 …
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Moving on
Zooming into the 3Ws: What, HoW and Who
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?Or it could be shown like
that
What
New Close
Subject Character
Unique
It's a matter of communication
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?HowSex, lies & videotapes
Conflict Situation Dialectics – Disagreement – Fight Protagonist – Antagonist
Discovery Process Exploring with new eyes Participation
Envelope
Story
Boost
Two ways of engagingthe audience
It's a matter of communication
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?WhoTwo 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”
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A character who wants to communicate, does communicate
Branding
It's a matter of communication
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Rivalries reinforce characters
Differences generate interest
It's a matter of communication
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You can be respected even if you talk about complex subjects
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The power of overcoming difficulties
Personal testimonies endorse messagesand get attention
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People identifies with challengerseither “anonymous” …
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People identifies with challengers… or with a well known name
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The power of love
A powerful Who can help any What&HoW
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*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 betterif you are the news
It's a matter of communication
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Good castingKey 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
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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
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Passion for communicating
Enter the heart to get into the brain Be honest, be sincere, be yourself Forget stereotypes, forget patterns Don’t imitate
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A scientist who communicatesis not doing scienceCommunication strategies go first
Avoid “Pangea’s syndrome” Lose your fear of making a fool of yourself Simplifying does not mean devaluing
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#Love & Communication takes twoMessages: Focused, clear and loud
News target audience Audience people People “level” What is the “right level”?
Very intelligent13 year-old student
How science impacts his/her life and his/her community?
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How to ride a horseGetting adapted to TV
Some recipes for success
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Knowing “the other” - 1TV 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
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Knowing “the other” - 2One team, one success
Participating in a TV program meansbecoming 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
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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 oppositeIt's a matter of … TV
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1One idea per programKeeping 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 !
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From phenomena to explanationsDon’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
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You do not paint the final picturePutting 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
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Working with journalists
Journalists are human too…
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Your team to get to “your fans”
With a little help
from your friends:Professionals who help you
to communicate well
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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
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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
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… and then, the audience opens the oven …
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We have success whenthe audience
is able to explain what they have seen
to their neighbors and friends
“There is nothing true thatcannot be explained in simple words”
Cristian Ruiz i Altaba
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Thank you!
Now let’s talk
Jaume Vilalta <[email protected]>Xavier Kirchner <[email protected]>
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