2 pages., Research summary via online from the North American Association for Environmental Education., Researchers interviewed 11 environmental or science journalism educators from four-year institutions and identified four common challenges: (1) keeping up with technology, (2) student interest, (3) environmental advocacy among students; and (4) lack of potential careers in the field. They suggested pre-requisites.
Research among experienced environmental journalists reveals a shift since 2000 in their view of "balance," as an element of objectivity. They now advocate a "weight of evidence" approach where stories reflect scientific consensus.
Godfrey, D. Matthew (author), Feng, Patrick (author), and Department of Marketing, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Department of Communication, Media and Film, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
2017
Published:
USA: Emerald Publishing
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D08305
15 pages., via online journal., This paper presents selected highlights from the ‘Engaging with society’ session of EFSA's third Scientific Conference ‘Science, Food and Society’ (Parma, Italy, 18–21 September 2018). The social dimension for scientific advisory bodies largely concerns science communication and public engagement. The political, economic and technological transformation of contemporary societies is challenging conventional structures and approaches in these areas. The disintermediation of communication and the proliferation of misinformation, it is argued, herald the onset of the post‐truth society. A better understanding of the way individuals consume information today has led to the development of tools to guide mediators such as journalists and communication specialists in countering these trends. Public engagement can reinforce confidence in regulatory bodies and potentially contribute to the quality of the scientific process. Scientific advisory bodies in Europe have created strategies and mechanisms to engage the public that are designed to increase transparency and representativeness. To be effective, several engagement mechanisms are needed, although factors such as resource constraints, institutional culture and public/stakeholder attitudes may limit their development. In conclusion, a more vigorous role for social research is needed to place scientific risk assessment within broader socio‐economic and political contexts. Social science expertise can help to define more impactful public information strategies and to explore the potential opportunities that engaged stakeholders and citizens can make to sustain and strengthen regulatory science.
