When the BBC published its review of science, Research Fortnight published a leader criticising Steve Jones' report, saying it was "a victory for the forces of public relations". Now Fiona Fox, of Science Media Centre fame, has responded.
The leader also assumes that research press officers do little but promote beautifully crafted, peer-reviewed studies on new breakthroughs. But what about the press officers at the University of Oxford who spent years persuading reluctant university authorities to open up their animal research facilities to the media, despite a history of violent attacks from animal rights extremists? What about the Imperial College London press officer who spent her weekends and evenings supporting David Nutt after he was sacked as drugs adviser by the Home Secretary? What about the University of East Anglia press officers who managed the fallout from ‘climate-gate’ for over a year while the world sat in judgment on their media-relations strategy?
Can she really not know that the PR campaign at UEA was run by the Outside Organisation?