By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
The world’s government think tanks are looking out to that newspaper, not science journals, to help them shape policies that would spell the difference in people’s lives.
According to a research, policy makers in the world’s most advanced economies consider news articles as reference and basis for research and development measures over the more extensive but highly technical science journals.
“Surprisingly, policy makers turn to newspaper articles and not science journals anymore,” said Otula Owuor of the London-based SciDev.Net, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing reliable and authoritative information about science and technology for the developing world.
Speaking before journalists from the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) during a three-day Science Journalism Workshop at the Intercontinental Manila in Makati last week, Owour cited a 2012 study by the UK’s Institute of Development Studies (IDS) which found policymakers in six developing countries admitting that their most common source of information was “details from news items”.
News stories ranked higher than journal papers, government policy papers and research produced by high-profile international organizations, the study revealed.
The reason for the preference to science newspaper reports could be attributed to its accessibility and layman’s presentation. Science journals could be very technical and with such a complex subject as science, understanding its complexities is the first obstacle to communication.
The challenge is now on the hands of science journalists to communicate on layman’s platform the minutiae of science.
Science journalism, according to Owour, can help improve lives.
Ariel Sebellino, executive director of the PPI, however, believes science journalism is not yet given as much prominence as other beats. A three-day seminar workshop conducted by SciDev.Net and attended by PPI members hopes to address that dearth in science pages.
Owour said the playing field is just about the same for science journalists in other countries.
He revealed that science journalists worldwide complain of being a “lonely bunch” placed in distant corners of newsrooms.
“They (science journalists) do not get the editorial attention given to sports, business and even entertainment reporters and they are seen as only good when bringing exclusive breakthrough stories,” Owour said.
SciDev.Net also noted that journalists nowadays find themselves covering complex scientific issues that are rapidly finding their way into newsrooms. It encourages journalists to discard the myth that there is minimal or no science to communicate in developing nations.
According to SciDev.Net, the media’s important role as the people’s watchdog makes it their social, professional and ethical responsibility to report on science.
Science journalists, the organization says, have a professional duty to let the public know what goes on behind the scenes in science labs. It could be matter of life and death, and is not PR for scientists.
“Improved gathering and dissemination of science information including research results can help save lives, reduce poverty, and improve people’s quality of life” Owour said.
The 22 conference delegates shared the same realization that science stories abound in print and need only a deeper and more prominent treatment in newspapers.
“Science stories abound, sometimes we just didn’t realize it but they are there all the time,” said May Anne Cacdac of Sun Star Baguio during the group discussions.
Carlos Bautista of the Mindanao Cross also believes there is a science angle in most stories but stressed that there is a need to put a human face in science journalism. “We have to demystify science and put a human face in our stories.”
The PPI and SciDev.Net partnership hopes to elevate the appreciation of science journalism in the Philippines. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through Prof. Aristotle Carandang, who was also one of the speakers in the conference, plans to tie up with the PPI in promoting a regular channel of information from the government agency.
