Scientists should be trained in communicating with the media, to break the barrier between science and journalists. Picture: iStock
The communication of science to the general public during the Covid-19 pandemic was marred by fears of the media by scientists, a language barrier between science jargon and the public, and a misconception of the topic which can be found in an array of daily issues.
The global Covid-19 pandemic brought a massive shift in media reporting, with newspapers and broadcasters leading with information, graphics and expert opinions from health scientists.
The pace of scientific coverage in the media dramatically changed in weeks, explained Mandi Smallhorne, president of the South African Science Journalists’ Association.
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“Suddenly, science became something very nitty gritty and editors who would in the past perhaps have thrown a picture of the surface of Mars as a filler somewhere on page 7 of their newspaper – suddenly had a front page crammed with research from Italy, Wuhan and the USA,” she said.
Speaking at a webinar hosted by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the National Press Club on breaking down the barriers between science and the media, Smallhorne said science being in the foreground of the media needed to be considered, something which she had been pleading for for years.
Science topics not only cover health, but also included issues such climate change, food, wild fires, soil, energy and technology, she said.
“We have to stop seeing science in the media as an extra or nice-to-have, something alien. It’s a part of so many of our stories. Foreground into science issues, like health, requires another shift which makes the media comfortable with science – creating a familiarity and a feeling of being at home with science topics, research and the language of science.”
But scientists feared engaging with the media for various reasons such as worries of their work being sensationalised or oversimplified, explained Professor Linda Godfrey, principal scientist at the CSIR.
“There is a fear that the journalists might try to catch them out. There is a fear their science may be miscommunicated or sensationalised somehow. Scientists can feel very protective of their research and there is a fear the media would belittle or overly simplify their research.”
“We need to be training more researchers to feel more comfortable with the media… We need to invest in scientists and teaching them skills they need to communicate,” said Godfrey.
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The general public, however, believed science was difficult, that scientists knew everything and that the topic revolved around people in white coats in a lab. Language was important in changing that, explained isiZulu science writer Sibusiso Biyela.
“It’s not about how much information [is issued] and how accurate it is to people, but speaking the right language in clarifying the science. We not trying to oversimply the work but to clarify it. There are people who don’t have an issue in understanding science but how it’s being taught,” he said.