Information for staff

Western Sydney University staff should contact the Media Unit for assistance with all media management issues, including writing and distributing media releases, developing targeted communication plans and liaising with the media. Please see the Media, Social Media and Public Commentary Policy (opens in a new window) for more information on how to liaise with the media.

Suggest a story

Western is a large university with many stories to tell. You can help by alerting the Media Unit to stories which may appeal to the mass media.

What makes a good media story?

Not every story is a media story.  Space and time in the media are very limited.  Journalists are looking for stories which have maximum impact and relevance to their audience.

Successful media stories have some common attributes:

• Impact:  Will this affect many people's daily lives?
• Timeliness:  Does this relate to a current news story?
• Novelty:  Is this new, unusual, unexpected or quirky?
• Human Interest:  Is there an engaging personal story to be told?

Media training

The Media Unit can provide formal and informal training for staff who may be interviewed or have regular contact with the media.

Advice

Not every story requires a media release.  Sometimes the most effective ways of getting media coverage is a well timed call or short email to a key journalist.

Talk to us for advice.  We can help determine if the story is newsworthy, help identify the news angles in the story and suggest the most appropriate media outlets to target.

The Media Unit also produces tailored communication plans for significant events and research projects.