Science and science television in the changing world of global communication

Abstract

Good science and good journalism have much in common. They both aim for knowledge generation and knowledge dissemination for the benefit of societies – at least at their best. However, beyond this common ground, there is much room for difference and conflict. In this paper I will draw up an admittedly personal list of ten obvious areas of annoyance about how the media present the results of scientific research – of course, only some of the media and only sometimes! These areas of annoyance all derive from the relentless pressure on all media competing in the marketplace to catch the attention of their customers. However, while listing these ‘sins’, as it were, one readily notices that exactly the same may also be the major strengths of how science can be publicized in the media, and above all in TV, the most powerful of the media in our changing world of global communication. Science reporting will have to change and actively face these challenges. It needs to focus future science presentation in new directions, e.g. by making use of the emotional public appeal connected with science fiction, scandals, public hysteria and the arts. What is most important now and in the future is that whatever is presented about the scientific understanding of the world, should be presented in a way that makes such enlightened understanding accessible, above all, to young – and even very young – people. After all, it is they who are humanity's future and not the ageing war-horses of the sciences or of the media.