They work in a highly competitive industry, and few understand even basic scientific facts. Prepare a single sheet of paper with the important details. This should set out the basic details of the story, spell everyone's names correctly, and have your phone contact points. And consult your collaborators and colleagues to make sure everyone agrees on the wording - it can head off territorial arguments before they start. Understand the importance of pictures.
Good pictures can make all the difference.
There is a lot scientists can learn in making the media work to their advantage. Unless they learn to use the media to explain their work to the public, they cannot hope that the public will support them. Lack of public support translates rapidly into loss of public funding, and the sidelining of what should be one of the driving forces of Australian life. He pioneered courses in media skills for scientists with Jenni Metcalfe, and runs occasional workshops to train scientists to handle the media.