Rice University launches national media Web site

Rice University today launched a Web site specifically designed to meet the needs of print and broadcast reporters, writers, producers, editors and hosts.
 
The site, www.rice.edu/nationalmedia, features current Rice University research and stories that have national and international impact. It also provides a section devoted to experts who can comment on current news events and an online form for requesting interviews. The site also provides RSS feeds for its stories and experts.
 
“Long gone are the days of sticking a press release in an envelope and licking a stamp — with so many news sources available every day, Rice’s media relations professionals want to break through the clutter with information and other resources that are more timely and easily accessible to the print and news media,” Vice President for Public Affairs Linda Thrane said. “World-class teaching and cutting-edge research that touches and betters people’s lives are what we do, and we want to share those stories with the around-the-clock news media cycle.”
 
The site also offers links to current Rice University national media news clippings and Rice logos. The site is mobile-compliant for use with handheld devices.
 
Rice’s associate director for national and broadcast media, David Ruth, will post a weekly update that has traditionally been e-mailed to higher education reporters only. It will include some items that aren’t posted as releases.

Integrated into the site is the new Rice University theme, “Unconventional Wisdom,” and “Who Knew” marketing campaign launched late last year. The marketing and national media projects are part of President David Leebron’s Vision for the Second Century (V2C) initiative for the university, which will celebrate its centennial in 2012.
 
For more information on the marketing campaign, visit http://explore.rice.edu/explore/Who_Knew.asp; for more information on the V2C, visit http://professor.rice.edu/professor/Vision.asp.
 
For more information on the new national media Web site, contact David Ruth, Rice University, at 713-348-6327; cell, 612-702-9473; or druth@rice.edu.