Science and scientists as media information sources
Analysis and learnings from the Coronavirus pandemic
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has focused journalistic information since the beginning of 2020 and until today, multiplying the appearances of the scientific community in the media. Objectives: This study aims to find out how the relations have been between the media and spanish scientists, and how the latter value them. Methodology: The research has been carried out from 818 surveys, distributed among scientists from spanish scientific societies. Results: 22% of scientists have collaborated with at least one media during the pandemic, especially newspapers and televisions. The scientific community considers that journalists do not document their information in scientific journals on most occasions and that the media should increase the spaces for participation of experts. Also, nearly half of scientists considers it appropriate to simplify scientific language to make it more understandable and a third of those surveyed reported that the media did not strictly respect their statements. Conclusions: The study serves as a guide to good practices in relations between the media and scientific communication, and allows to conclude that it is urgent to reach meeting points in these relations, with more rigor in journalistic texts and a greater adaptation of the scientific community to the journalists' routines.
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