Tips on Science and University Communication

Our goal is to present research, teaching and the campus in an open and transparent manner, thus promoting understanding and trust. Good media relations help to attract bright minds, partners and supporters.

• The readers decide: Readers, viewers and listeners are usually not academically educated. Journalists put themselves in their place and ask questions on their behalf.
• Deadlines and time pressure: Journalists usually work very topically and at short notice. Broadcasting and online editorial teams have to be on the air or online particularly quickly. The topics are discussed in the editorial conference in the morning and must be ready by the evening at the latest. Your interviewees often have only a short time to prepare for an interview and have guidelines for the scope of the reporting.
• Variety of topics: In the editorial offices, the staff constantly deal with a wide variety of topics and often do not have expert knowledge on a specific area.
• Topic selection: Editorial offices receive a large number of press releases and suggestions for reporting every day. They therefore have to be very selective. A sudden important event can lead to the entire topic plan having to be changed at short notice.

Journalists are guided by the news value of a piece of information. The following criteria are decisive for newsworthiness:

• Topicality: How topical is the subject?
• How close is the topic to the readers/watchers/listeners? Is it related to their region?
• How many people are affected by the topic? Does it affect their everyday lives?
• Is a development new or unique? Does the issue involve a superlative or have a unique feature?
• Are there signs of conflict or drama?
• Are prominent people involved?
• Does the theme have curious aspects?

Consider whether your topic meets at least one of the above criteria. The greater the news value, the higher the probability that the topic will actually be published. By having an appealing website or using social media, you create an opportunity for journalists to inform themselves in advance and to spark interest in your topics (see also our flyer "Social Media").

• Media work must be planned well in advance. Report topics relevant to the press to the Communication and Press Service as early as possible. You should announce events at least two weeks before the date. This also applies to publications or awards. Press releases on past events are no longer of interest to the media.
• We cannot give you a print or broadcast guarantee, but we can help you to prepare your topics in a way that is suitable for the media.

• Let us know if you are available as an expert on a current topic. Expect interview requests at short notice that need to be answered quickly.
• Inform us about press enquiries you receive or reports that have been published, as well.
• Use and maintain contacts with journalists, even after an event or interview. Always make a note of names and full contact details for this purpose.

• If possible, do not request a detailed list of questions before an interview.
• You do not have the right to proofread an article. Therefore, if necessary, correct thoughtless statements right away in the interview. Verbatim interviews, however, are to be approved by the interviewee beforehand.
• Journalists are professionals too: refrain from criticising their writing style. If in doubt, contact your Communication and Press Service.
• Misunderstandings can lead to factually incorrect statements. We will advise you on how to correct this.
• Even if you think something has gone wrong, remain open to media enquiries. It is important that scientists answer and explain patiently to lay people. Otherwise, others will do it.

• You do not have to respond to a request directly on the phone. However, call back promptly, even if you have to cancel a requested interview, for example.
• Do not expect too much prior knowledge, for example about the university structure or the state of research.
• Speak in short sentences and as clearly as possible. Use examples and comparisons.
• Offer interesting pictures to newspaper and TV journalists.
• Radio editors appreciate recordings in quiet surroundings and characteristic "ear-catching" sounds.

• What is the conversation about? What is the occasion?
• What kind of interview is planned?
• How long should the interview or shoot last, including preparation?
• When should the interview take place?
• Where should the interview take place (studio, telephone, on location)?
• Who are the interview partners?
• When and where and in what context will the interview be published?
• Which target group should be reached with the interview?
• Is there any further information about the interview, e.g. other interview partners or special local circumstances?

Every medium and thus every interview is different. Therefore, take your time to prepare for an interview. It is sometimes possible, but not usual, to agree on specific questions beforehand. If you would like support in your preparation, please do not hesitate to contact us!

• The news item: Short pieces of information are reported here, for example staff changes or event announcements.
• The report: Reports are usually objective and can vary in length. They often deal with current topics where you, as the expert, are asked for explanations or assessments.
• The profile: Profile, reportage and feature are narrative formats in which the editor interprets the content. Here you are the focus of the article. The interviewer also asks personal questions, e.g. about your private life. Before this interview, there is always a preliminary discussion where you can clarify which questions you do not want to answer.

An article often includes a photo. Think about whether you can offer a suitable photo motif. For example, you can have yourself photographed in your work environment to bring the picture to life. In addition, you are welcome to provide us with a portrait for our image database.

If you do not want photos to be taken of you or certain objects in the course of the interview, please let the journalists know in advance.

• The information interview: Here you provide information on a current topic, e.g. data and facts on a research project.
• The opinion interview: Here you are asked to give your expert opinion. You are asked to classify, evaluate and assess an issue. The short form is the statement, where only one or two short sentences with the core message are necessary, e.g. political scientist on an upcoming election.
• The background interview: Here your interview is not published, but serves to provide journalists with better information. This helps to avoid inaccuracies in reporting - especially on technically complex topics.

What is important when recording audio?

• Speak calmly and clearly and use your voice to emphasise your statements. If possible, refrain from using technical terms or explain them.
• Be careful to avoid background noise (e.g. clicking with a pen). If the interview takes place in your office, redirect the telephone if possible and close the window.
• Do not be irritated by a "mute" interviewer during the telephone interview. The journalist cannot make any approving sounds during the interview because they would otherwise be heard on the recording.

• The recorded interview: Here, either information or opinions on a certain topic are the focus. The conversation is recorded and then individual sentences can be cut out and incorporated into a report as original sounds. The short form is the statement.
• The studio interview: In a studio interview, it is clarified in advance what the interview is to be about. The studio interview can be recorded or broadcast live.
• Live broadcast: The reporter reports live from the scene of the event. You stand next to him/her as the interviewee and give short statements on a few questions.

Prepare yourself and stay relaxed

• Prepare your schedule and your surroundings for the interview (e.g. ask the film team about the exact schedule and duration of the shoot).
• Formulate key messages in advance in two to three sentences.
• During the interview, imagine the camera is not there and do not fixate on the microphone. Instead, speak directly to the person you are talking to.
• Avoid exaggerated facial expressions and gestures as well as touching your face during the conversation.
• Stay alert: the camera and microphone may be on before or after the actual recording.
• Dress comfortably and discreetly. Refrain from glittering accessories and shiny make-up.

It is often helpful to imagine a friend from outside the subject as a counterpart whom you want to tell about your work. Using everyday situations and current events as examples is a good way to illustrate complex issues.

Refrain from using pre-formulated or memorised texts and do not presume any specialist knowledge. If you do not know the answer to a question, you can say so honestly. If a question is unclear to you, ask the journalist to rephrase it.

Only give out information that can be published without any problems. Do not let yourself be pressured and say so if you do not want to respond to personal questions.

Ask the journalist when and where exactly the interview will be broadcast or printed. If you would like to, offer to give further interviews. This will increase the chance of publicising your research topics.

Even if not all statements from your interview are published or broadcast, this is still a success. Editorial staff are often given clear guidelines on how long an article or programme may be and cannot exceed these - even if the topic includes other, interesting aspects.

Particularly in interviews, individual sentences are often picked out of the conversation. These so-called original sounds can then be incorporated into various radio formats such as moderation blocks, reports or features.

How do I get my interview?

Before publication, journalists can show you the article or play your interview for you, but they do not have to. Clearance of an article on your part is only usual for text interviews.

Through our press monitoring, we receive all newspaper and online articles in which TU Braunschweig is mentioned by name. We archive the articles and send them to the institutes involved. Contact us if you are looking for a specific article!

• Before the interview, think about the core message you want to make clear.
• Listen to the questions in a calm and concentrated way before you answer.
• Formulate short and simple sentences.
• Use few technical and foreign words or numbers.
• Try to make the topic clear by giving examples.
• Repeat your core message.

Analyse in advance whether social media activities make sense for your area and which social media platforms are suitable. If necessary, the Communication and Press Service can help you with these questions.

The following questions are helpful before creating a social media presence:

• What goal do I want to achieve with my presence?
• Who is my target group? Is this target group represented in the planned medium?
• Do I have enough topics to enliven the presence in the long term?
• Do I have enough time to maintain the presence?
• Is there a representative who can maintain the presence?

In principle, you should only create a social media presence for your institution with the consent of the head of your institution. Central and decentralised social media presences belong to TU Braunschweig and may only be created, designed or deleted with the consent of the head of the institution.

It is recommended to distribute the administration rights among several employees so that changes can be made to the social media page at any time. If possible, the respective rights should be assigned to personal accounts of the employees. The rights can be easily revoked from the user ID if the person leaves. If a social media system does not allow for administration with several persons and only provides for one access ID, the group of persons who know the access data to the account should be kept small. In this case, if an employee who knows the access data leaves, the password must be changed in order to revoke the administration rights of the employee who has left. When assigning a password, choose a password that is as secure as possible. The institution should have access to the login data and administrator access at all times.

Official external communication on behalf of TU Braunschweig as a whole is carried out exclusively by the Governance Board and Communication and Press Service. On your decentralised social media presence, you therefore speak for your own institution and not on behalf of the entire university. At the same time, the public perceives you as part of TU Braunschweig, so please bear this in mind in all publications.

Choose a friendly, factual and polite way of addressing your users. Write sentences that are as short and active as possible and limit yourself to the essential information.

Communicate honestly and transparently. Check every post for accuracy beforehand so that users do not receive incorrect information. If information is incorrect, be authentic and admit mistakes.

Social media are more than one-way communication. Engage in dialogue with your target group and welcome them to ask questions, post comments or even voice criticism. You should react appropriately and quickly to any feedback. Optimally, you should check your social media account at least twice a day for news.

Never publish personal data of third parties without their consent.  Also advise your users not to publish personal data.

Stay calm. In particular, you should always respond to critical comments or messages and not simply delete them. Exception: If users post content or comments on your page that can be classified as illegal - such as insulting, racist or copyright-infringing content - you must delete them as soon as possible. We recommend taking a screenshot before deleting the post so that you can prove your action later. You should also delete advertising posts and dubious appeals. In addition, you can embed the netiquette we have created on your account and refer to it in this case.

If you are unsure how to react to individual comments, please contact the Communication and Press Service as soon as possible. Together we will develop a strategy to avoid a "flame war" on your site.

You are not moving in a legal vacuum in social media. Official matters are generally subject to the duty of confidentiality. Confidential information (for example, explicitly confidential research data or company secrets) may therefore not be communicated to the outside. For any publication, it must also be ensured that you have the right to post the content (photos, videos, texts). Even sharing content can violate existing law.

The following legal texts and areas of law are relevant:

• The General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) has been the uniform data protection law for all EU member states since 25 May 2018. The GDPR regulates the handling, processing and storage of personal data. This also includes photos.
• The Telemedia Act (TMG) contains information on the obligation to provide a legal notice, on the liability of the owner of the respective social media presence (so-called service provider).
• The law on expression regulates the admissibility of (public) statements. The freedom of expression under Article 5 of the Basic Law (GG) extends very far. However, untrue statements of fact, insults and so-called defamatory criticism are inadmissible.
• The Federal Data Protection Act (BDSG-neu) supplements, concretises and modifies the GDPR.
• The Art Copyright Act (KunstUrhG) contains the provisions on the right to one's own image. With a few specific exceptions (pictures of public gatherings, persons of contemporary history or pictures in which the persons are only accessories), the consent of the person is required before publication.
• The Copyright Act (UrhG) regulates the protection of texts, images, audio and video content (so-called works). In most cases, publication or distribution of such works is only permitted with the consent of the respective rights holder.
• The Trademark Act (MarkenG) contains regulations on the protection of names and logos.
• In June 2018, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that operators of Facebook pages are jointly responsible for data processing (C-210/16).

Note: In some social media there is an obligation to publish a legal notice (for example on Facebook). Always observe the general terms and conditions, terms of use and guidelines of the chosen social media.

Please also note our privacy policy.

Even when using social media privately, it can happen that your comments are interpreted as statements made by a member of TU Braunschweig and are thus placed in the context of the university. If necessary, make private statements clear and contact us if conflicts should arise.

On the social media pages of Technische Universität Braunschweig we regularly provide information about news and services of the university as well as about campus life. We appreciate your interest and look forward to a lively exchange with you. In this context, please observe the following netiquette rules:

• Respect: Expressions of opinion, discussions and constructive criticism are welcome on our site! Please remain polite and treat each other with respect and mutual consideration. Contributions with insulting, racist, pornographic, anti-constitutional or illegal content will be deleted immediately.
• Data protection: Data protection is very important to us! Please do not post any articles that contain private data (e.g. matriculation number, address or telephone number) about yourself or third parties. If in doubt, please write us a direct message and leave us a way to contact you outside of Facebook via email or phone.
• Language: For a successful discussion, we ask you to write your posts in German or English.
• Advertising: The content on our page should be related to the diverse topics around TU Braunschweig. Advertising and spam are not welcome and will be deleted.
• Furthermore, please observe the standards of the social media community as well as the general terms of use (Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.).
• In the event of repeated violations of our netiquette, we reserve the right to block individual users from our social media pages.