What topics can be featured on Research-TV?
Research-TV features stories about cutting-edge research and innovation. Our stories originate from universities and other research organisations. The most successful stories tend to be highly visual, newsworthy and of relevance to a wide international audience. We feature stories on:
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expert opinion on topical issues
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research findings and new discoveries
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newsworthy or unusual research
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interesting collaborations between universities and business
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events such as conferences, academic seminars and press conferences
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openings of new facilities or research centres
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Is Research-TV for me?
It can work for any organisations involved in research. These include universities and university spin out companies; research funders, such as research councils, foundations and businesses; and organisations active in marketing universities, such as regional development agencies.
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How can Research-TV help me?
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promote and market your research on television and online
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enhance the reputation of your institution worldwide
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reach key decision makers, government bodies, businesses executives and potential new sources of funding
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recruit high quality international staff and students
It also gives you professional footage that you can use in your own corporate videos, recruitment initiatives, exhibitions, presentations and other promotional activities.
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How does it work?
Research-TV works with organisations to identify and develop stories for production and distribution. The stages involved in developing a Research-TV story can be found here.
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How much work will I have to do?
With our guidance and advice, you will need to identify potential stories for Research-TV. We will then follow this up with discussions directly with lead academics involved in the project. Filming usually takes 1 day and many of our clients and partners choose to be present at the shoot (although this is not essential). Many clients and partners also choose to supplement their video news release with Research-TV with their own press release to print and online media, radio and local broadcast contacts. If you choose to do this, we will include your press release on our website. That’s all there is to it. We handle all aspects of production and you can be involved as little or as much as you wish.
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How do we know it works?
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Over 220 broadcasters in more than 135 countries have used Research-TV stories
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Stories continue to be watched on
www.research-tv.com well after the initial date of distribution
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New Media uses of Research-TV stories are on the rise. All stories are distributed to the Open Student Television Network in the United States (with a potential audience of 3 million staff and students in North American universities); all stories are provided to Public.TV; and, all stories are loaded onto Research-TV’s Research News Vodcast on iTunes.
Independent analysis conducted by J Walter Thompson of the Research-TV pilot in 2003 also revealed that:
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Research-TV has reached an estimated global audience of 250 million
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At its peak, stories on the Research-TV website were viewed by 6000 people in a single day
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Research-TV can enhance the reputations of UK universities and research organisations
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What kinds of broadcasters use Research-TV stories?
Research-TV’s stories have been used by over 220 broadcasters reaching audiences in more than 135 countries. Our stories are mostly used by large international broadcasters, leading national broadcasters and occasionally by niche or specific themed channels (science channels, for example). Our coverage is global, and we can target particular regions of significance to your organisation if necessary.
In addition to extensive broadcast use, our stories are also used extensively online. All stories feature in Research-TV’s Research News Vodcast on iTunes, and are placed on Public.TV and the Open Student Television Network in the United States.
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How much does it cost research organisations?
Prices are available from Research-TV upon request, and discounts are available for anyone signing up to 6 or more stories in one year, with every 10th story free.
The stories are free for broadcasters to use for 28 days after distribution when taken from APTN’s global video wire.
Research-TV’s service represents excellent value for money. We handle all aspects of production and distribution on your behalf, and we actively market your stories to our database of more than 400 broadcast contacts around the world. In addition to the broadcast use of your stories, you also have a video for you to use as you please: at events, online, re-editing into promotional videos, in presentations, in support of research grant applications … the uses of your Research-TV story are limitless. Your approach to this should be seen as a combined communications activity, not just a tool to enhance broadcast media coverage.
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Is there any funding available?
While there is no central funding available, Research-TV works very closely with universities to help secure funding to become involved. Previous clients have obtained financial support to become involved with Research-TV through partnerships with Regional Development Agencies, the Higher Education Innovation Fund, and from cross-departmental funding. Other organisations have also written budgets into research grant proposals for communicating the outputs of their research through Research-TV (indeed, some organisations have even used existing Research-TV stories in their research grant applications to actually show the research to application panels).
Producing stories with Research-TV benefits the entire organisation and therefore should not be seen purely as a communications, PR or marketing activity. Other departments that could benefit from this activity include research support offices, alumni relations and fundraising departments, student recruitment and international offices, business link and innovation departments: all departments that have an interest in raising the profile of an organisation.
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What's in it for broadcasters?
With the explosion of digital and cable TV broadcasters have more channels and more content to fill than ever before. In the UK average viewing has doubled in the past twenty years. Cable and satellite has expanded consumer choice and more and more people are subscribing to digital and broadband services.
But, with the digital media revolution prompting an overall reduction in mainstream television advertising, schedulers suddenly need to find even more content for less money.
Research-TV provides broadcasters with ready-to-air news features at no charge.
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Who is behind Research-TV?
Research-TV was created by the University of Warwick to provide broadcasters with a regular news feed of stories about cutting-edge research. Research-TV is independently managed on behalf of its partners in keeping with its original aim of helping universities to compete worldwide.
A team of skilled TV producers with considerable experience of working with research organisations, handles all aspects of production and distribution including helping to shape your story for media presentation.
You can find out more in the about us section of this website.
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