Media policies

The Company of Biologists has strong links with the media and actively promotes the research that is published in its journals through a wide range of international media organisations. Our policy is to release information about our papers in a way that provides fair and equal access to the media, providing content to registered journalists ahead of publication to maximise coverage of selected stories. Authors and their institutions’ press offices are able to interact with the media during this period and benefit from any subsequent coverage. Find out more about other ways through which The Company helps authors promote their papers.

For journalists

All Company of Biologists’ journal content is embargoed until it has either been posted online as an Accepted manuscript or published in an issue of the journal. The editorial teams select specific papers that they feel are of interest to the wider public and distribute embargoed press releases 2-6 days ahead of publication. Journalists who wish to register to receive regular press releases from The Company and its journals should access The Company of Biologists’ Press site. Registration at this website also provides access to embargoed content, including the PDF of the research paper and associated multimedia. Accepted manuscripts are posted on the journal websites at the editorial team's discretion. Details of embargoes are provided with each press release.

BiO press contact: Rachel Hackett 

For authors

All Company of Biologists’ content is embargoed until it has either been posted as an Accepted manuscript on the journal website or published in an issue of the journal (if your article has been posted on a preprint server, in whole or in part, different embargo conditions may apply – please contact the Editorial Office). If the Company selects your paper for promotion through an embargoed press release, you will be contacted by a member of the relevant editorial team who will discuss the press release with you and establish your availability for interview by journalists during the period of the embargo. If the press office at your institution is planning to distribute a press release relating to your work, we request that you contact the relevant editorial team to guarantee that the embargo time and date is respected. Press offices are free to distribute embargoed press releases prior to the embargo lifting and unembargoed press releases after a paper has been posted online as an Accepted manuscript or published in an issue of the journal. The Company of Biologists also distributes a selection of embargoed press releases via the AAAS press release site, EurekAlert!, and you will be notified if your paper has been selected for broader distribution. Find out more about other ways through which The Company of Biologists helps authors increase the visibility of their papers, as well as ways in which you can help. This page also includes advice on dealing with press enquiries.