More on this morning's session, "How to be an effective science PIO in the changing media world." This time, we hear about PIOs on the panel.
ScienceWriters meeting coverage
As science journalism moves increasingly to the Web, the work often just begins with writing and posting an article. The commentary from readers that follows a post needs focused and immediate attention, especially early in a site’s development. That was the consensus that developed during the discussion at this morning’s ‘Social web and online commenting’ session.
“I don’t do ‘Happy Birthday, dear disease' stories.” That’s how Don McNeil, Jr. of the New York Times opened “How to be an effective science PIO in the changing media world.” It was standing room only as three PIOs and two journalists swapped advice at the session.
How can I find new assignments? How should I organize my time? Can I earn enough money to make freelancing a worthwhile career choice? These are some of the questions we had when we settled in with our cups of coffee to hear freelance writers Amber Dance, Christopher Mims, John Pavlus, and Jeffrey Perkel talk about their experiences establishing and sustaining freelance businesses with maximal efficiency and minimal fuss.
David Berreby here, another of the NASW traveling fellows, and a first-time attendee. I'm the author of Us and Them: The Science of Identity and I write the "Mind Matters" blog at Bigthink.com. Since the late 1980's, I've written about science (mostly as it relates to human behavior) for magazines and newspapers (including The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, Nature, The New Republic, Smithsonian, Discover, among many others).
I spent my first professional conference hoping no one would notice how nervous I was. I fidgeted in my new “professional” clothes and fiddled with my flimsy business cards. I was a college junior, new to the world of science writing, and I felt like an imposter. While I’ve since accepted that I may never learn to walk in high-heels, arriving at the 2010 NASW conference, I am comfortable. I know how to network.
Greetings! I'm Jim Downing and I'll be blogging the partners and ethics in the new media era session (Saturday, 2:15 p.m.), which will explore the ethical questions raised by the rising influence of non-traditional journalism funders, such as foundations, the private sector and government. Is it sufficient to be transparent about who's paying for a story? And if not, what can we do about it?
The NASW board just finished its meeting. No spoilers for the business meeting tomorrow. Primarily we were there to think big and long-term. We're working on a vision statement for NASW that encompasses the turmoil in science journalism over the past few years (and what we hope are some values that should remain constant).
It’s happening. Publications everywhere are adding video and audio clips to their Web sites, uploading everything from standalone teasers and interviews with prominent researchers, to “This-is-how-it-really-works” demonstrations.
I'm Beth Skwarecki, one of the NASW freelance travel fellows. I'm a freelancer based in Pittsburgh, PA (previously Ithaca, NY) and I'm excited to be part of ScienceWriters 2010.