Working with the media allows you to do multiple things.
Influence policy
The public profile media coverage can provide helps establish a reputation for advice, which policymakers may follow up.
For politicians in particular, a piece of research may only become real when it has appeared in a newspaper. More than one programme director has told us they were only able to get senior civil servants to take their research seriously once it appeared in the national press.
Raise your profile
A media profile can help with raising additional funding for research, attracting offers of consultancy work and promoting your project or organisation.
Media attention can also raise the public profile of your discipline and increase public discussion of social science research – which may make it easier to gather data and attract research participants and case studies for further research.
Journalists usually see academics as impartial experts so media relations can help to raise your personal profile, establishing your reputation as a recognised expert or commentator in the field.
Focus your thinking
If you can meet the challenge of explaining why your research is important clearly and succinctly to a general audience this will help to focus your thinking and sharpen your research agenda.