Reporters, and Journalists, and Researchers, OH MY!

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#1

So…
Every so often, we get someone writing an article or paper, who pops into the forum looking for source material. Some of these people engage with manners and some, well,… less so.

Most seem to be looking to write their piece and move on. This seems to make accuracy and research time a little iffy. That tends to result in a poorly written piece which mistates what we are and how we do it.

I propose…
That we should come up with some pre-arranged materials, specifically tailored to writing about implants, such that the next time we get a pop in, we can just direct them to it. Yes, this is basically pre-digesting and spoon feeding them, but if they’re not going to do a deep dive into our world, then without pre-arranged knowledge, they will probably put out the kind of piece that makes us collectively flinch.

I’m thinking;

  1. An intro piece similar to “how to approach a professional” but with basic terminology, what is / is not possible, and common misconceptions.
  2. A properly arranged pile of source materials. Pictures, videos, etc. The stuff they’re most likely to want / use, all laid out for them.
  3. Links and references. Youtube videos. Other articles that were well written?
  4. Maybe this could all go in a thread where people could volunteer to be interviewed.

Also note. We’re a tech savvy crowd in an arcane field. It’s gonna hafta be implants for dummies, even if we have to sacrifice some info / accuracy to make it comprehensible for them.

Also Also note. I’m not the person to put this together. Sometimes my head still spins while reading threads here. So if I’m making work for somebody else, I’m sorry, but it’s with the best of intentions.

I kind of actually hate that we would need to do this. But if they’re gonna write about us, then let them write well. Even if it takes some spoon feeding.

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#2

I strongly agree with this approach

It’s probably obvious but it has begun to really annoy me when people pop on,
Say they want to research us for their benefit… but aren’t going to be on the forum so we should contact them directly and do all the work for them

I’ve bitten my tongue with a lot of these hit and run homework researchers… but a Generic “here’s your meat and potatoes you’re too lazy to interact with us to learn about”

Only flip side is I don’t exactly want to reward those kind of people… because it will further enable it

Realistically any number of the dozens of @amal interview videos could be typed up and would be a solid base… coupled with the intro sections

Looking through the DT section there’s lot of great stuff already made…

Perhaps a link to a meta page with all the various links from DT info

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#3

It’s a double edged situation for sure.

A. I don’t want to help people who are deliberately helpless.
B. I realize that without help, they’re going to write, and publish, garbage.

Basically I’ve concluded it’s worth the cost if we reach new people. I’m on here because I discovered a poorly written article about m31 magnets. Then, being inspired, I began researching, which sucked me down the rabbit hole.

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#4

But where do you draw the line?

Like at some point in the growing laziness, we just write the article for them, and let them plagiarize it

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#5

I expect some will effectively do just that with large chunks of the material provided.

It’ll still be positive exposure. And we can effectively direct their writing in a good direction if they pull directly (and lazely) from the provided materials.

It still leaves a bad taste, but that’s the price to pay for decent press coverage, when you’re being covered by hit and run authors.

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#6

Fair… and it’s less petty than some of my other ideas

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#7

I totally agree with that one!
I’m always being asked to “help” people, which I totally don’t mind doing, in fact I enjoy helping people. Then I get there only to realize the person didn’t want help, they wanted me to do it for them, There;s a big difference.
Sadly, many people have this addite these days.
When I was a kind, I really didn’t have anyone to ask about the things that I wanted to learn about, so I had to do it all myself. I guess that’s where my attitude on the matter comes from.

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#8

I was thinking on this subject, and I feel a fair request would be if we are helping researchers or reporters by providing a large amount of their leg work

They should be expected to at least show up their final product

The dozens of “researchers” who have disappeared forever after getting whatever they wanted…. And never knowing how they presented us…

Fairly annoying

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#9

I agree, but…

Clear laziness is being exhibited on their part. Which means they’re just not gonna get around to doing it. If we make it conditional, either we get stiffed, or they don’t get good info, and write (and possibly, publish) crap.

The best outcome for us is to suck it up, and spoon feed them, and maybe, just maybe, we get some decent exposure, or at least, not misinformed, barely researched garbage.

I’ve got a bunch of irons in the fire right now, and it’s getting worse every day, but I think I’m gonna try to come up with a basic rough draft in the next week or two. Then maybe we can dress it up a bit and see what comes of it.

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