Engaging media communications for academics

engaging media communications for academics june

A full day workshop on public engagement through the media with two experienced former BBC journalists. Booking required.

With an increasing focus on your research having an impact beyond the academy it is important for researchers to have the skills and to feel comfortable talking to the media. This workshop provides an exciting opportunity to get in-depth knowledge and practical hands-on media training from two experienced BBC producers and journalists, Claire Bolderson and Caroline Finnegan. Up to five volunteers will be filmed being interviewed on their chosen subjects and constructively critiqued.

Veteran TV journalists, Claire Bolderson and Caroline Finnegan, will guide you through the process of refining your academic work into a story that is accessible to a wider audience. Practical exercises and examples will be used to help you get the best results.

  • How do you draw people in with hooks and angles?
  • How do you tell your story without over simplifying it? 
  • How to use social media to get greater exposure for your work
  • How to perform effectively in a media interview - preparation, appearance and content delivery tips

Up to five volunteers will be interviewed on their chosen subjects. The on camera interviews will be played back and constructively critiqued. At the end of the day, you will have a better understanding of how to use mainstream and social media to gain a wider audience for your research. 

Additional info

This session is open to researchers from the Social Sciences Division and the Humanities Division.

Booking required.

If you would like to be put forward as one of the interviewees, please contact the Research and Impact Team at impact@socsci.ox.ac.uk no later than Monday 24 June 12pm. 

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.  Please let us know of any special dietary requirements in advance.  Please BYOD (bring your own device - laptop or tablet)

Places on this workshop are limited and are fully subsidised by the University, making it free for participants. If you are unable to attend please cancel your place as soon as possible so that we can reallocate it to others on the waiting list. 

The trainers

Claire Bolderson is a news journalist and documentary maker with more than 25 years’ experience at the BBC. She was presenter of Newshour on the World Service and The World Tonight on Radio 4. Claire began her broadcasting career in Indonesia as correspondent for the BBC and Financial Times. She went on to be BBC correspondent in Washington in the mid-1990s. Since then she has returned repeatedly to the US to report while also broadcasting from Africa, Europe and Asia. Claire continues to make documentaries for the BBC. She is a regular guest commentator on the Weekend  programme on BBC World Service while also writing and blogging, mostly on UK politics and social affairs.

Caroline Finnegan is media training consultant with over 20 years’ experience as a programme maker and producer at the BBC, formerly working in BBC World Newsgathering where she covered breaking global news, developed story ideas into features and documentaries and worked on a number of radio series for BBC World Service Radio. She specialized in conflict zones such as Pakistan and Afghanistan but also travelled widely in the Middle East, America, Africa, Europe, China, India and other parts of Asia.