+1 to staying away from student reporters. I had an annoying exchange where I was misquoted in the student reporter and got a semi-angry e-mail from a VP. Thankfully I answered the questions via e-mail so I was able to send him the full, correct quote which cleared things up, but that was the last time I will ever answer questions from our student paper.
Value of News Coverage for an Assistant Professor
(35 posts) (2 voices)-
Posted 10 months ago #
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If you are really good at the media stuff it seems like a reasonable form of service that brings positive attention to you, your department, and your institution. At any place in the middle of the academic food chain it is probably a win win situation.
Posted 10 months ago # -
This seems like a problem mostly for Americanists.
Posted 10 months ago # -
Comparativists working on a part of the world people care about can also get on the talking head circuit, as can IR scholars. Why would this only be Americanists?
Of course, they don't want to hear about the institutional deficiencies of the Zambian party system or whatever it is you actually research, but since you know that continent you could talk to them about Kony and be as well-informed as anyone else they'll find.
Posted 10 months ago # -
I have found that putting a digital recorder on my desk and recording the interview cuts down a lot on misquoting, especially with student interviews. I guess it forces them to double check their notes or something.
Posted 10 months ago #