Science and the Media
Experience from the front line
Susannah Eliott
AusSMC: A brief history…
Opened at the end of 2005 to bring more evidencebased science to news reporting in Australia
• Independent of any one institution
• No specific agenda. Not “pro nuclear”, “pro GM”,
“pro vaccinations” etc – only “pro evidence”
• Set up to increase breadth and quality of science
coverage in the Australian media
• Represent scientific consensus as much as
possible
Quick stats
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Based in Adelaide
3,300 experts
1,100 journalists
8 staff
>50,000 news clips have included expert comment from AusSMC
>30% in overseas media
Main Strategies
Heads-up – alerting journalists to upcoming stories
Media enquiries – finding an expert & providing background
Rapid Reaction – responding to breaking stories
Round-up – putting research into context
Media Briefings – scientists setting the agenda
Coaching for scientists and journalists – supporting scientists to
engage more effectively and supporting journalists to cover more
science
Sponsorship is capped at 10% to maintain
the centre’s independence
Approximately 25% media, 25% governments, 25% education & 25% business
SMC Global Network – 6 so far
More in the pipeline in the US, China, Pakistan, Italy, Norway, Uganda…
The media will “do” science
better when scientists “do”
the media better
The media is in free fall
• 24 hour rolling news
• Copycat journalism rife
• Reporting for multiple platforms
• Less time to understand complexity
Why bother?
• The majority of the
public get most of their
primary information
about science from the
news media - MORI poll 2010
• 25% of Australians
source their news from
social media. Only 3%
of bloggers have
expertise on blog topic
– Nielsen Social Media Report, 2010
• 30% of Australians
think dinosaurs
coexisted with humans
And yet…
• >45% of population feel they don’t get enough
science from the media and 43% feel ill informed
about science - Vic Gov report (2007 and 2012)
• 80% of Australians would like to see more policy that
is evidence based – ANU Poll, Public Opinion about Science 2010
Sadly policy is not always evidence based and is
influenced enormously by public opinion, seasoned
influencers and political compromises
Some experts bury their heads in
the sand
BEST EXPERT
WORST
And ignoring a story won’t make it go away…
Can experts make a
difference?
While it sometimes doesn’t seem like it, our experience
shows they can and do!
AusSMC has
seen more
than a 50%
increase in
the use of
experts in
general
news since
2005
Changing the way a
story is reported...
In times of
crisis…
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Public interest at a peak
Facts most needed
Lobby groups out in force
Science often missing
Japanese earthquake and tsunami
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13 sets of expert comments released
120 media enquiries
Two media briefings – 55 journalists
International coverage
Australian experts who provided
comments were quoted 3,959
times on the incident worldwide.
Nudging issues onto the agenda
National briefing on
Groundwater:
63 Media clips including
TV Coverage
Key Questions Explored
 How much water is stored and
how quickly are we using it up?
 what can we do to protect our
water?
 How much does Australia rely on
groundwater?
 How important is it for our own
drinking water?
 What can we learn from other
countries and what do
governments need to be doing?
Our top tips for
engaging with the
media...
Put yourself in the shoes
of a journalist - what
issues might they have?
• Journalists have to get their head around
new topics every day
• Have little time to understand complexity
• Numbers and stats can be terrifying
• Will look to the media for background on
the topic and often continue the narrative
from previous media reports
What will they ask?
What will you say?
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What’s it all about?
Why now?
Where does it go from here?
What is the most interesting/exciting….?
Prepare your grabs.
The changing face of news
• Online is the king
• Convergence of traditional and social media
• Social media can help draw attention to a well
written article about your work
• Need to think visually
The power of analogy
If you had a hundred doctors giving you medical advice and 2 gave you a
different opinion from the rest…
Working with the media in
controversial areas
What do mobile
phone towers, water,
wind turbines and
coal seam gas have
in common?
A minefield of
complex factors –
you need to know
the context
How is the story being framed?
GOOGLE NEWS
Archives & timelines
Monitoring the development of public debates
Credibility and impartiality
are essential
Once tagged, you lose the value of the
“middle ground”
Your independence
Is questioned
And your patience
tested!
Helps to stick to expertise...
Stay focussed on the
BIG PICTURE
• Many scientists are put off by relatively small
inaccuracies (names misspelt, etc)
• Did the main message come through?
• Best antidote is to keep trying
“Scientists must indeed take the rough with the smooth, and learn to
work with the media as they are.”
~House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology (2000):
Third Report, Science and Society 5.1
ScienceMediaSavvy.org
smc.org.au