Attracting the Media Nigel Henbest Pioneer Productions

Universe: Big Bang – Pioneer Productions for C4/TLC

Our Mission The researcher The public The Message

The Message(s) Expanding knowledge of the Universe Astronomy as pioneer cutting-edge human exploration Astronomy as a ‘sugar- coated pill’ for science Astronomy/science as a mainstream cultural activity (not just for boffins and geeks) Image: ESO/VLT

The Big Challenge… The researcher The public The Message Press Office THE MEEJA (MEDIA!) Television Radio Newspapers Magazines Books G A T E K E E P E R S! Reality Soaps Comedy Sport… … Attracting the Media

Television: the good news… TV penetration: in every country of Europe and North America, 96-99% of households have a TV set Maximal outreach: Recent astronomy series in the UK - Space (BBC) and Universe (C4) – reached 3-5 million Carl Sagan’s Cosmos reached 500 million viewers in 50 countries

… and the bad Terrestrial broadcasters are looking for a ‘magic’ format that will bring in >50% of audience share – Big Brother; I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of Here; Desperate Housewives… Astronomy (and science) are low on the commissioning editors’ list.

The TV Industry Content Provider e.g. Pioneer Productions Broadcaster e.g. BBC, Discovery Broadcast Technology: e.g. terrestrial, satellite, cable Viewers

Entertainment vs information TV is primarily an entertainment medium – a viewer retains <5 facts/hour. Typical audience attention span is 3 minutes A standard formula for science documentaries: Show a ‘wow’ visual every 3 minutes Introduce a ‘f***-me fact’ * every 90 seconds (for effect, not necessarily remembered) * Genuine words of a science commissioning editor!

The Essential Elements A riveting topic A gripping storyline and clear script Human interest – presenter?/ interviewees Stunning visuals – real images/ graphics

Riveting topic… Cartoonist’s prediction… … and the real headlines! Cartoon: KAL/Baltimore Sun

Storyline/ Script Storyline must be linear – minimise flashbacks and other devices This is not the way science generally progresses! Dealing with controversies without losing the storyline –e.g. Demise of the Dinosaurs

Human Interest 1: Presenter (?) Carl Sagan Patrick Moore Heather Couper Neil de Grasse Tyson

Human Interest 2: Interviewees Subjects have a strong story to tell - e.g. Andrew Wiles on Fermat’s Last Theorem (BBC) Ability to explain complex concepts in a simple way – and with passion. Interviewees may not be seen by their peers as the top authorities. National bias

Cosmic Rays with a Human Angle Universe: Stars

Visuals Location, location, location Real images (generally stills) Graphics Image (left): NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage Team

Graphics: Science or Nonsense? To visualise cutting edge research where real visuals don’t exist – black holes, alien life, Big Bang, parallel universes To retain viewers, graphics must approach Hollywood/ commercials quality How to distinguish graphics from reality?

Beyond the Universe Universe: Big Bang