WEEKLY MEDIA REPORT: 19 January 2014
Please see below a summary of media coverage for this week which lists 382 pieces of coverage
comprising of:
 47 pieces of newspaper coverage of which 1 are from International publications, 10 piecesare
from National newspapers and 20 pieces are from Devon & Cornwall publications.
 30 pieces of broadcast coverage of which 0 are from International broadcasts, 4 are from
National broadcasts and 14 are from Devon & Cornwall broadcasts.
 305 pieces of on-line coverage of which 15 are International, 30 are National and 28 are
from Devon & Cornwall.
INTERNATIONAL
We issued a press release concerning research by Claire Belcher (Geography) and colleagues which
debunked the theory that the asteroid that is thought to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs also
caused vast global firestorms that ravaged planet Earth. This prompted coverage in New Scientist,
The Huffington Post, Business Standard (India), Headlines & Global News, ABC Action News,
mangalorean.com, ZeeNews.com, Yahoo.com, rt.com, Congoo News, Gizmodo India, Siasat Daily,
and 46 other media outlets.
Nuria Capdevila-Arguelles (Modern Languages) was interviewed on Spanish radio La Hora Extra
(cadena Set, SER radio station) and national newspapers La Vanguardia and El Pais about her new
anthology about feminist writers Matilde Ras and Elena Fortun.
Our press release was reported in Internationaal Nieuwsagentschap, Statesman.com, Libero.it,
Smithsonianmag, Rainnews.it and PanEuropeanNetworks following a study by Lena Bayer-Wilfert
(Biosciences/Centre for Ecology and Conservation) that found that viruses carried by commercial
bees can jump to wild pollinator populations with potentially devastating effects.
The Khaleej Times published an article by N. Janardhan (IAIS) examining the legacy left by King
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
Science Daily, USAgNet, Ag Professional, New York Ag Connection and Newswise reported research
by Regan Early and colleagues that found that non-native plant species are much more widespread
than natives in the continental United States.
The BBC World Services' The Science Hour show investigating the study of personality within animal
species included a visit to the fish lab at the University and an interview with Darren Croft
(Psychology).
NATIONAL
BBC Radio 3's Free Thinking programme interviewed Daisy Hay (English) about her new book Mr &
Mrs Disraeli: A Strange Romance.
We issued a press release concerning research by Claire Belcher (Geography) and colleagues which
debunked the theory that the asteroid that is thought to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs also
caused vast global firestorms that ravaged planet Earth. This prompted coverage in the Daily Mail,
Independent, i, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Channel Islands.
BBC Radio 4's Shared Planet had Regan Early (Biosciences) on as a guest discussing climate change
and the domestication of cattle.
The Daily Mail quoted Adam Zeman (Medical School) in a report on a man suffering déjà vu so
extreme he stopped watching TV and reading because he felt he'd seen it all before.
The Huffington Post referred to research by Janet Reibstein (Psychology) in an article regarding why
people have affairs.
ITV News reported that researchers from the University found that the third Monday in January is
most depressing day of the year.
BBC Radio Wale's All Things Considered included Grace Davie (Sociology) in a panel discussion of
religious literacy in the media.
The BBC's Winterwatch included a mention of work on testing the intelligence of squirrels with food
dispensers.
REGIONAL
BBC Spotlight interviewed David Houston Jones (Modern Languages) about his research and the new
exhibition 'Faces of Conflict' about the role of artists and surgeons developing techniques for facial
surgery the military during WW1. The exhibition was also reported in the Crediton Gazette and
Tiverton Gazette.
BBC Spotlight interviewed Claire Belcher (Geography) about her research which debunked the
theory that the asteroid that is thought to have led to the extinction of dinosaurs also caused vast
global firestorms that ravaged planet Earth.
BBC Radio Devon’s Breakfast and Sign Off programme interviewed James Clark (History) about what
life was like in Tudor England in response to Hilary Mantel’s televised version of Wolf Hall. Clark also
reviewed for the programme the following day.
A new book by Daisy Hay (English) entitled Mr & Mrs Disraeli: A Strange Romance featured in the
Sunday Independent and Western Morning News.
We issued a press release about Rob Merkin's (Law) appointment as one of the Queen’s Counsel
Honoris Causa (Hon QC) was reported by The Exeter Daily.
Following a press release about the Hutton Prize for Excellence, awarded to postgraduate student
Hadrien Chautard (Law) it was reported in the Mid Devon Star and This is the West Country.
Claims by Edzard Ernst (Medical School) regarding the end of his position at the University were
reported in the Daily Telegraph, Everything Zoomer, Daily News (ePaper), PA News Wire, ITV News
West Country, Melton Times, Boston Standard, The Falmouth Packet, Spalding Today, Garstang
Courier, Pendle Today, Eastbourne Herald, Harborough Mail, Express and Echo, and 177 other UK
regional papers.
Richard Toye (History) was interviewed about Winston Churchill on the advent of the 50th
anniversary of his death this was covered on BBC Radio 5Live, BBC Radio Wales and across the 23
network stations, including BBC Radio Berkshire, Devon and Cornwall.
Emily Bernard-Jackson (English) was interviewed on BBC Radio Devon on feminism and the demise of
Page 3 in The Sun.
The circumstance of University staff member Jane Hammond's marriage was reported in the Express
and Echo as she and her husband were born on the same day and in the same hospital, and they
celebrate their wedding anniversary on the same day.
OTHER
Our press release about new research by Tapas Mallick (ESI / Renewable Energy) and colleagues
examining new techniques for generating photovoltaic (PV) energy, or ways in which to convert
light into power more cheaply than ever before featured in sify.com, Bignewsnetwol.com, Science
Daily, phys.org , Yahoo! India News, AniNews.in, Net India123, business-standard.com, The Energy
Source, ZeeNews.com, and business-standard.com and 11 other media outlets.
Asiaone quoted Stephen Lea (Psychology) in an article about why people are taken in by con artists.
University Business quoted Tricia Punchard (Residential Services) in an article about the benefits of
external Wi-Fi on campuses.
Insider (South West Business) quoted Jane Pankhurst (Business Development) in an article about the
benefits for business working with universities.
Eco-business.com quoted John Love (Biosciences) in a report regarding claims by US scientists that
they have made “safer” GMOs that cannot spread in the wild using synthetic biology.
3dprintingindustry.com reported on Kate Fisher and Rebecca Langlands (History) about their work
on reproduce ancient sexual artefacts from the Wellcome Collection using 3D Printing.
Hear-it.org reported on a study by Jessica Tyrell (Medical School) and her team which identified
factors likely to lead to the development of the long term ear disorder Ménière’s disease.