Working with the Media

The Office of University Communications is staffed by professional journalists with extensive experience in dealing with the media on a daily basis. The office works with all media, including on-campus publications, local, national, and international, in all formats — print, broadcast, and electronic. Our staff issues press releases, organizes press conferences, and handles the university’s overall media relations.  We will assist in publicizing news that has a university connection. Our office also maintains a list of faculty experts whom outside media can contact for expertise on timely topics.

If a reporter contacts you, our office will provide training and support, or serve as a media liaison if necessary. If you have a paper to be published, a new research project under way, an award you wish the community to know about, an event you want people to attend or any other publicity you need, the following guidelines should help you get started. Further information is available by calling the Stanford News Service at (650) 723-2558 and asking for assistance.

 

News & Media Relations

A story or event may be very important to its sponsors, but whether it will receive outside press coverage depends on many factors, including the nature and significance of the news or event, the timing, and even what other news is happening that day.

In many cases, though not all, our office will be able to advise you whether to expect coverage. Generally, a story must have some unusual aspect to warrant wide attention; a scientific breakthrough; an exceptionally large donation; appointment of a well-known scholar; or a timely event or development. Media coverage of any story or event never can be guaranteed.

However, news of a less spectacular nature frequently will receive local coverage and often will be covered in the campus press, including the Stanford Report newsletter and on the campus news website. Please bear in mind that items that appear are read by a wide audience that includes faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees, parents, donors, community leaders, friends of the university, and others who have an interest in Stanford.

Also, please note that The Stanford Daily, which is an independent student publication, makes its own decisions about coverage.