To be honest, I think anyone who has specialist knowledge in an any area
(not just science) would find things to criticise in most non-specialist
news coverage of their area of expertise. I saw journalism described
once (perhaps on this list?) as the "first rough draft of history".
First rough drafts are not terribly accurate - but news isn't news if
it's not new, so it's impossible to run everything by specialists and to
check every detail. That's the nature of the media - it often drives me
nuts, but what's the alternative?
Oli
Stephan Matthiesen wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Am 02.09.2010 16:31, schrieb jennifer gristock:
>> Oli's point about scientists not understanding the process of journalism
>> is a valid one. Many scientists have no idea that reporters do not write
>> story headlines,
>
> Can I ask if this is the same in other fields? Are economics articles
> also edited by people who think the stockmarket is the place where
> Jamie Oliver buys vegetable cubes for making soup?
>
> In my experience most scientists are well aware that reporters don't
> write the headline, they just disagree that it should be this way and
> find this a rather weak excuse for sloppy work. If the editor doesn't
> know what he's doing, then he simply shouldn't do it, and newspapers
> should revise their procedures to ensure quality.
>
> Cheers
> Stephan
>
--
Oli Usher
Junior ESA/Hubble Public Information Officer
Education and Public Outreach Department
European Southern Observatory
Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2, D-85748 Garching bei München, Germany
Telephone: +49 89 3200 6855
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