From Toshi Knell
In his article complaining about media distortion of science, Simon Baron-Cohen says, quite rightly, that “every time the media misreports science, it chips away at the credibility of both enterprises” (28 March, p 26).
But researchers themselves have a part to play in this. To avoid misrepresentation in the media, they must take extreme care to ensure that what they and their press releases say is accurate and clear.
Knowledge gained incrementally is the bedrock of science; no hyperbole is needed. The media, by contrast, want to make every story as sensational as possible. As a result, the public and governments are barraged with reported studies and conclusions that often don’t stand up to scrutiny. Worryingly, these reports can influence policy decisions.
Both sides have a duty to raise their standards. Scientists must ensure they represent fairly the import of their work, along with its motivations and funding, and the context in which it was done. Similarly, journalists are duty-bound to report dispassionately, check their facts, and avoid sensationalism unless it is genuinely warranted.
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Nowra, New South Wales, Australia
