Media Guidelines for staff

UWE Press Office

The Press Office has a corporate responsibility for all media relations for the University of the West of England. A key aim is to present a good image by presenting a range of releases highlighting research and achievements by UWE students and staff to grow and maintain a positive image.

  • This is achieved through drafting and dissemination of university news releases, responding to media enquiries relating to releases and fielding calls to University staff. The press office is also responsible for drafting corporate media responses.

  • The Press office pro-actively seeks to engage with and maintain a positive relationship with the media by responding swiftly and effectively to requests and by supplying a steady stream of interesting stories that highlight the achievements of staff and students at UWE.

  • Please contact Jane Kelly and Mary Price for help and guidance with drafting news releases or tips on giving a good interview.

Dealing with media enquiries

  • The Press Office is the first point of contact for all media enquiries. If you are contacted by a journalist or programme researcher you need to direct the caller to the press office in the first instance. The press office direct line is 0117 328 2208 (Mary Price and Jane Kelly) or 0117 328 2874 (Kate Mooney). Email mary.price@uwe.ac.uk and jane.kelly@uwe.ac.uk or kate.mooney@uwe.ac.uk. Please also contact us if you have an idea for a story that you think will attract media interest so we can work with you to maximise your potential news coverage. See 'What makes a good story'.

  • The Press Office acts as a buffer zone between you and the media. It is never a good idea to be caught on the hop. We can gather sufficient information about the programme or news article to brief you and to give you time to consider what you want to say.

  • Sometimes a journalist may contact you because they know you but there may be someone better placed in the university to deal with the enquiry. Always check with the press office before engaging in conversations with journalists.

  • If you have an established relationship with a journalist and they are quizzing you on your specialist area please go ahead with this but let the press office know so that we can record an interview for you or look out for a press cutting.

  • If a new journalist calls you please redirect them to the Press Office in the first instance.

Recording media activity

  • It is important that you tell us if you have spoken to a journalist as we sometimes get further follow up calls from journalists who have read about something in an another publication and want to ‘do’ the story . We need to know about your conversation in advance so that we are informed and able to help out when contacted by the media.

  • It is also important because we need to keep a record of the media interest in UWE. This record is for dissemination to departmental managers via the monthly Exposure ( monthly press cuttings) highlighting university wide media coverage. We also like to highlight appearances in the Staff in theMedia column in the monthly Bulletin.

At all times staff and students at UWE need to be wary of commenting on any areas about which they have little or limited knowledge. UWE corporate responses to sensitive HE issues must always be managed by the press office who have a considerable experience of managing sensitive media enquiries.

For further guidance or practical advice on media liaison contact Jane Kelly and Mary Price on 0117 32 82208. E-mail jane.kelly@uwe.ac.uk and mary.price@uwe.ac.uk.