News
Mission
We keep Hubble science and technology at the forefront of public awareness of space science.
The OPO News branch is at the heart of STScI’s public outreach activities. The news team is responsible for soliciting information on and publicizing the scientific discoveries of the Hubble Space Telescope. This mission is accomplished through news releases, televised NASA press conferences, science meeting press conferences, and media coordination. These activities require the maintenance of a strong working relationship with major domestic and international news producers. In addition to being directly used by print, television, and online journalists, news products cascade into all other OPO branches.
The Work
The mainstay of our news activities is the creation and dissemination of press and photo releases covering scientific advancements made by the Hubble Space Telescope. News release packages typically include informational text, images, illustrations, animations, video interviews, and supplemental background information. They are distributed to news organizations worldwide, which use them to build their own coverage — and often place them without modification directly into television broadcasts, print publication, and online services. News conferences and teleconferences are scheduled for discoveries of exceptional scientific merit and public interest.
OPO’s News branch actively engages with the media, answering questions, providing context, and explaining the importance of Hubble science. Astronomical discoveries are dense, with unfamiliar concepts, complex ideas, and highly technical details, which make back-and-forth interaction between expert, astronomers and the media essential for Hubble news to accurately and effectively reach the public.
