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Bulletin

Broadcast

While Nelson Mandela’s death came as no surprise to the media – the great man had been ailing for many months - when it finally happened, no amount of pre-prepared news material seemed quite enough for the news editors.

Jacqui Bealing,
Senior Press Officer

Almost immediately the Sussex press office began receiving calls from journalists keen to see what else could be added to tribute packages. A few reporters even arrived on campus the day after Mandela’s’ death on the off chance that we would have someone they could speak to.

As it happened, we did. One of our Mandela Scholars, Kayaletu Tshiki, gave extremely heart-felt and moving interviews to BBC ‘Six O’Clock News’, BBC Sussex, BBC South East, Meridian Tonight and Juice FM (all 9 December) about what the former South African president meant to him, while the deputy chair of the trustees of the Students’ Union’s Mandela Scholarship Fund, Dr Linda Waldman, spoke on LBC and BBC Sussex about its aims and significance.

Another major story, for Sussex at least, involved something small and furry but with the mating bellow of an elephant. A study by Dr Ben Charlton and Dr David Reby identifying a unique vocal organ in koalas that turns them into the Barry Whites of the animal world came as such a surprise that it was of global interest to everyone, from the International New York Times and Nature to CBBC (2 December).

Elsewhere, Dr Eddy Viseux appeared on Channel Four’s ‘Food Unwrapped’ (9 December), demonstrating how to neutralise acids; Professor Jim Watson answered people’s concerns about fracking on BBC Radio 5 live (17 December); Professor Mariana Mazzucato wrote about her book, The Entrepreneurial State in the Observer (16 December); and Professor Louise Serpell was honoured by Red Magazine, who named her as “pioneer in her field” in their Red’s Hot Women Awards 2013.

Just in case you need to be reminded that this is the season of goodwill, New York State’s Evening Tribune (17 December) referred to Dr Tom Farsides’ study that showed children who watched a movie (‘The Dead Poets' Society’) that featured a caring and inspiring character were more likely to respond positively to questions about their own altruistic goals.

The Press Review of the Year 2013, featuring some of the media coverage highlights of the year, is now online.