EurekAlert!, the AAAS research news web site (http://www.eurekalert.org), has announced an upgrade that features a raft of improvements based on the experience from its first ten months of operation. The new version, to be implemented this spring, includes a "EurekAlert! Express" service that will automatically notify users via e-mail of releases posted on topics that they specify. Users of the Express service can also specify journals or institutions to be monitored for postings. And for PIOs, EurekAlert! is setting up a service that allows participating journals to notify PIOs of upcoming papers from their institutions.
Other features of the new version include tailored home pages for journalists and PIOs, with different layouts to better match users' needs. Also, more comprehensive search capabilities will allow users to search, not only on pre-specified keywords but also any word in the news release summary.
The web service is also adding new categories of news releases, including announcements of grants, awards and books. However, these categories will be kept separate from releases on research advances.
The AAAS reports that EurekAlert! now has more than 850 registered reporters and more than 90 institutions that have paid to post news releases and other materials, Nan Broadbent, who heads EurekAlert! development, said that fees from posting institutions are expected to cover only about half of the approximately $500,000 annual cost of operating the nonprofit service, with the rest coming from corporations, foundations and advertising revenues.
Broadbent said negotiations are under way to increase the international reach of the service, adding European and British research institutions and science writers.
Since the service began last May, about a thousand news releases have been posted on the site at a rate of about 10 per day, and the site experiences about 2,000 searches a month. The service has also begun providing institutions audit reports of the number of "viewings" of their posted releases.
Broadbent said the main needs of the service-besides a continued flow of newsworthy releases-are postings of meetings and experts lists. The new version will include a comprehensive calendar of meetings, as well as announcements of meetings and news conferences from subscribing institutions, and on-line meeting registration.
The expanded experts section of the service will integrate the Media Resource Service of Sigma Xi, allowing reports to send e-mail requests to the MRS for experts on breaking stories. Besides offering an MRS link, EurekAlert! will also give users the option of posting experts lists on topics.
According to Broadbent, besides being heavily used by staff science writers, EurekAlert! has proved particularly popular with freelancers, giving them the same access to news releases as staffers. And, she has had many reports of contacts among scientists sparked by a EurekAlert! news release.
Dennis L. Meredith is director of the Office of Research Communications of Duke University and a principal founder of Eurekalert!