Overview

Journalists often lack scientific understanding and training in how to communicate science in the news.

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Objective

The following efforts could be undertaken to increase journalists’ scientific knowledge:

  • Recruit scientifically savvy journalists. News organizations should consider recruiting more staff with science backgrounds, including from programs where journalism students are required or encouraged to gain scientific training. One standout example,
    and valuable recruiting ground, is the Boston University science journalism program.
  • Provide scientific reporting training. Journalists are keen to learn more about science, but typically lack the time or money to do so. Additional training opportunities should be provided, such as fellowships to scientific institutions. One model that was mentioned is the Yale Law School fellowship for journalists. The Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies and other educational and scientific institutions should provide such fellowships to train journalists to report science and climate change. Funds need to be made available to journalists to take up these opportunities, as well as to attend events where they are able
    to meet and engage with scientists.
  • Provide information clearinghouse for scientific resources. Establish an online clearinghouse where journalists can go for scientific resources to aid them in their story research on climatechange related topics.
  • Assist journalists in localizing the story. Provide local journalists more information to use in localizing the climate change issue whenever possible, in terms of identifying local impacts but also finding local college scientists who can speak to local newspapers.
    Trust is a local currency.
  • Leverage journalism school alumni. Encourage prominent alumni of journalism schools who are concerned about the climate change issue to reach out to journalism school deans and encourage them to add science journalism tracks to their curricula. Consider other access points (e.g., deans of environment schools could reach out to their peer deans at the journalism schools to build stronger bridges and cross registration or even joint degree programs).
  • Pick the right journalists. Some contend that the potential benefits of media training of scientists may be overstated, that talent for talking to the media is inborn, and that the world can be divided into good talkers and bad talkers. Accordingly, one solution could be a talent search to find (i.e., not to train, but to find) the best scientific talkers and to help them do more outreach.

Related Initiatives

  • The Climate Future Group - “Our mission is to be the leading information source for complete, unbiased, nonpartisan, accurate and factual information on climate change caused by manmade greenhouse gas emissions. Our website, www.climatefuture.org is the global communications hub on climate change for individuals, businesses, the news media and national leaders around the world….For print and broadcast journalists, [the] Climate News Room will gather and disseminate global Climate Change News, provide original reporting in both video and text forms, feed live interviews and provide coverage of global events - all free of charge in a password-protected area.”
  • The Aldo Leopold Leadership Program trains environmental scientists to communicate their work effectively to a variety of non-scientific audiences. Each year up to 20 academic environmental scientists are selected to receive intensive experiential training, expert consultation, and peer networking. Leopold Leadership Fellows hone skills to better communicate the science associated with complex environmental issues to the media, policy makers, business leaders and other non-scientists.
  • The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting provides fellowships each year for journalists in print, broadcast, and electronic media to learn about science and the research process, from interpreting marine and environmental issues to understanding the principles of scientific research.
  • Real Climate - Real Climate is a rich and topical website written by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists that aims “to provide quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary.”
  • Union of Concerned Scientists: Climate Messaging Project - A workshop on communicating climate change science, available in its entirety as an audio download at the UCS site, along with its accompanying Powerpoint presentation.Get involved in this action.