Gap between science and media revisited: scientists as public communicators

Area of Science:

• Science communication
• Sociology of science

Background:

• Scientists generally perceive media visibility as important.
• Engaging with journalists is often viewed as a professional responsibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated analysis of scientists' current media relations.
• To examine the attitudes and practices of scientists concerning media interaction.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive analysis of relevant surveys on scientists' media relations.
• Review of existing data on scientists' beliefs and attitudes towards public communication.

Main Results:

• Most scientists consider media visibility important and responding to journalists a professional duty.
• Scientists often operate under a two-arena model, separating internal scientific and public communication.
• Despite changes in science and media, scientists' media orientations and interaction patterns show roots in the early 1980s, with little evidence of abrupt shifts in the last 30 years.

Conclusions:

• Scientists' engagement with the media is shaped by institutional norms and a desire for public, rather than internal scientific, communication.
• Current science-media interface dynamics are largely consistent with historical trends, even among younger scientists.
• Future changes in the science-media interface may stem from broader transformations in the public communication system.