Below are summary points from the interview with Scott Jaschik, founder and editor of Inside Higher Ed.
- Inside Higher Ed is well known in higher education, and write about issues that the normal press typically wouldn't write about (i.e. academic freedom)
- Based in Washington, D.C., but covers the whole country.
- They welcome you reaching out and letting them know what's going on.
- Audience is very broad since the whole thing is free: faculty members, graduate students and administrators.
- Get right to the point. Why does it matter? Why is it interesting? Then get into the background information.
- Looking for a story that affects people in terms of how they do their jobs, or how they're teaching.
- Don't pitch stories that you just saw covered last week about another university.
- Think about the stories that you would tell a colleague who is outside your department over lunch. What are you doing that's interesting to them? that really helps students? that changes how a discipline views a field?
- Unless you're doing it in a new way, they won't cover it.
- They are looking for something that is trending in higher education now, or a thought piece about something interesting that happened to them in the classroom.
- Pieces can run up to 1,500 words.
- Do not use footnotes. Use links instead.
- Most importantly, you have to be a good speaker.
- If you've done some radio or previous podcast, send it along.
- Write to Paul Fain, host of The Key.
- Firstly, impact. What is going on that will impact students and other people?
- Secondly, how woudl it affect other institutions?
- Thirdly, is it somebody who is interesting to talk to?
The most important thing is impact... what is going on that is going to affect students and other people? How would it affect other institutions?
The University of San Diego Media Relations team presents Meet the Journalists, a series of video interviews for USD professors and administrators to gain better insight into the media. Hear from journalists, reporters, editors and producers who cover higher education or rely on faculty experts to provide context to news stories. Watch all eight videos on the Media Relations website.