With over 1,600 experts listed, this year's Blue Book is the biggest ever, reflecting the growing tide of U of T researchers being called upon for their expertise by the news media. This total represents a 25 per cent increase in the number of experts listed in the previous edition and a 400 per cent increase in size from the first Blue Book published in 1988. It's the first thing we turn to and when the new ones come in, everybody is all over them. Last month public affairs received over 500 calls from reporters, many of whom were seeking expert opinion on topics ranging from provincial elections and the collapse of Eaton's to HIV and stem cell transplantation.
Some faculty members believe strongly that media interviews are just part of the job.
Professor Nelson Wiseman of political science said he does about 150 media interviews per year and finds them stimulating because they allow him to contribute to the public discourse on a given political topic. If they ask me to postpone the class, I ask them if they could postpone the show. The Blue Book is updated and distributed to journalists every two years.