[meteorite-list] Fact Sheet - Possible Media Solution?

[Bob King]

Hi Steve,
Since I work at a newspaper as a photographer and understand your
frustration, I think a fact sheet is a great idea. Reporters would
really appreciate an FAQ-style, one sheet resource. Here are my
suggestions on what to include:
* Your name and phone number plus one or two other sources to reach
and their numbers
* Definition of meteor, meteorite, meteoroid, asteroid
* Average speed of meteor/meteorite as it enters our atmosphere and
then strikes the ground
* Average price of the most common type of meteorite (ordinary
chondrites) found in a typical  fall plus the range as you mentioned
* Common misperceptions about meteorites: they're hot, they come down
flaming, they're all worth a million dollars.
* Where meteorites come from and why they're important to science
* Where to send a suspected meteorite to be tested

I hope this helps.
Bob

On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 8:06 AM, <MeteorHntr at aol.com> wrote:
> Hello List,
>
> I was greeted this morning  with a front page story in the Baltimore Sun.
> While it could have been  worse, it made me realize I need to do something
> to help writers focus on the  facts and the real story and not to slide over
> and just use the more sensational  answers or comments given in an
> interview.
>
> Also, some reports do  actually attempt to do more research on their own
> before writing, and sometimes  they interview amateurs that are even better at
> saying not-so-smart things like  those of us with experience are also so
> good at doing.
>
> As Darryl  mentioned the other day, reporters tend to resist writing from a
> Press Release  and usually will work to manufacture their own story from
> the ground up based on  what they uncover in their interviews.
>
> So maybe a solution might  be a "Fact Sheet" I can have preprinted to give
> to the reporters at each  interview.
>
> Of course, if I am not asked a certain question by a  reporter, there is a
> greater chance I won't offer that fact in my  interview.  Or if I do, it can
> be out of the context of the interview and  the reporter might not
> understand why what I said was important.
>
> Time is  often a restraint, both in the interview and in the writing to
> meet a deadline,  so it isn't always the reporters fault that they don't get
> around to asking the  questions that would paint a clearer picture.
>
> Maybe a Fact Sheet could be  in a F.A.Q. fashion?  Or just stated as Facts,
> billet style?
>
> So, I  would like some help from you guys.
>
> I would like some suggestions as to  what should be included in a fact
> sheet, so that when handed to the reporter,  they can refer to it during and/or
> after the interview as they might  need.
>
> For starters, I can list my name and contact information, that  would be
> good. (Nothing worse than one's name being spelled wrong in the  paper.)
>
> I can list my correct age (which is 43 not 42 as erroneously  stated in
> today's story).  Which does make you pause, if a reporter can't  get someone's
> age correct, is it any wonder that other aspects of the story  might get
> skewed a little (or a lot) one way or another.  However, in the  case of Robert
> Haag in the Astronomy story a few years back, they listed him as  40 years
> old and not 50 years old.  A "typo" I am sure! ;-)  (Or as  someone hinted,
> maybe a little slice of Zagami under the table might have helped  that typo
> to not be spotted in time!)
>
> How about "Why are meteorites are  valuable to science?" Q, with an
> appropriate and pithy answer.  After all,  if it wasn't for the science, we really
> wouldn't have much in the way of higher  demand for many of our meteorites.
>
> Of course, there is a collectors  market.  And while the words "treasure"
> and "hunter" together can give a  negative connotation, they can give an
> adventurous one as well.  And we all  have to admit, while it is not all just
> for the money, that does play at least a  part in why those of us in the field
> do what they do.  How can the fact  that we are also hunting for the source
> of knowledge, not just cash be  stated?
>
> I suppose I could go through all the media stories I have seen  lately and
> pull out the errors and try to find out why the reporter might have  got the
> reporting of it wrong.  Then find a way to stress, in the Fact  Sheet, what
> is the correct take should be on it.
>
> For example, after  talking about how most meteorites are "common" and
> don't offer all that much  valuable new information, others do.  I went on that
> some are far more  desirous to researchers than others, and to collectors as
> well. In that context  I mentioned that "meteorites can be worth from 5
> cents a gram up to over $1,000  dollars a gram."
>
> There seemed to be some negative reaction from the York  newspaper's story
> here on the M-List where that range was mentioned.  Well,  now the Baltimore
> reporter (who was in the same interview as the York reporter)  decided to
> drop the range I had given and just somehow averaged it all out to:
> "hundreds of dollars per gram" instead.  Probably shorter and easier that  way for
> him.  I am sure his editor appreciated it being shorter, in fact,  maybe it
> was his editor that shortened it for him.
>
> Of course, factually  both reporters are not incorrect as to the values,
> and doing a search on any  dealer website and on ebay shows both of those
> statements to be factually  correct.  However, maybe I can state that a fact on
> my Fact Sheet that  majority of all meteorites are worth from $0.20 to $2
> per gram.  And that  certain factors determine why they might be worth more or
> less than that  range.
>
> Any other suggestions?
>
> Oh, I would imagine Ruben might  suggest that I add that "Fossils are not
> found in meteorites."
>
> Any  others?
>
> Steve Arnold
> of "Meteorite Men"
>
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