Jim Cornell

NEWS FROM AFAR

by Jim Cornell

World Federation of Science Journalists update

A long-standing dream of many “internationalists” in the global science-writing community has moved somewhat closer to reality this spring with the acceptance of the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ) concept by several large national groups.

Proposed for many years at various international conferences and informal gatherings, then finally formally “founded” in Brazil last November, the WFSJ had officers, headquarters, a constitution, and even an executive secretary. What it didn’t have was members. But that situation is changing rapidly. Since the beginning of the year the Colombian Association of Science Journalism, Japanese Association of Science & Technology Journalists, Japanese Medical Writers Association, and Chinese Society for Science and Technology Journalism (reportedly representing over 10,000 journalists) have joined their Brazilian colleagues as members.

In Europe, national representatives attending the European Union of Science Journalism Associations (EUSJA) annual meeting in March discussed and debated the WFSJ concept and promised to present arguments for joining to their home-country associations later this year. NASW is also considering membership, pending clarification of how and by whom the WFSJ will be funded. The International Science Writers Association (ISWA) has been a de facto member since the beginning, agreeing to serve as the voice in the Federation for individuals from those countries with no formal science-writing associations.

SARS may have a positive effect on science reporting in China

The SARS crisis in China may have had at least one unexpected positive benefit: relaxing government controls on the press in that country. According to several sources, including the Wall Street Journal, the SARS threat encouraged the Chinese public to demand from the media more thorough, reliable, and up-to-date reporting-and less party-line propaganda-about the epidemic. This was most evident in live broadcasts of press conferences and interviews on Chinese television, with the Journal citing the example of one provincial governor actually being interrupted by a CCTV reporter when he did not directly answer a question concerning SARS to the reporter’s satisfaction-something previously unseen on state-run television.

New Latin American gateway for science news

A new Internet gateway for news related to science and technology in Latin America and the Caribbean, dubbed SciDev.Net AmericaLatina, was launched in May. The second such regional site operated by the Web-based SciDev.Net news service (the first serves Africa), the gateway will seek news and opinion articles from freelancers. Significantly, all material will appear, at least in summary form, in three language-English, Spanish, and Portuguese-reflecting the SciDev.Net belief that, “although English has become the dominant language in which scientists communicate with each other, broader communication between science and society can only be effectively done in local languages.” To browse the new Web site, click on www.scidev.net/americalatina.

South American science wire service thriving

One precursor to the SciDev.Net AmericaLatina network was the Science News Wire Service (NOTICYT), created earlier this year by the Colombian Association of Science Journalism (ACPC). According to ACPC president Lisbeth Fog, the news service is finding an appreciative audience in South America. Although specializing for now in stories about Colombian science and technology, newspapers, radio stations, and Web sites throughout the region are using the freely distributed materials. Most interesting, perhaps, several newspapers that had previously abandoned their science pages have reopened these sections on a regular basis using NOTICYT articles as the editorial core.

Study looks at effects of economy on PR-journalism relationship

In a study that might be interesting to see duplicated in the United States, a survey of news media in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland suggests that cutting editorial expenditures in news operations can increase the influence of PR agencies and press offices. The study, conducted by ECCO Public Relations www.ecco-network.com, was based on a survey of 485 journalists (18 percent rate of return from 2,700 questionnaires sent) and was intended to examine the relationship between PR and journalism in times of financial constraint. About 63 percent of journalists questioned said cost-savings in the newsroom intensified the influence of press offices and PR agencies on journalistic content. In other words, as in-house editorial staff declined, the reliance on news and features provided by outside sources grew. Indeed, over half of the Austrian and Swiss journalists and 39 percent of the German journalists said the number of press releases taken up by editorial staff had increased in recent times.

Major changes ahead for German science journalism

For many years, German science writers have seen themselves more as members of regional or state organizations than as part of any national group. The times are changing, reflecting both the growing sense of a pan-European identity and the increasing public interest in science news. For example, a Federation of German Science and Technology Journalists may be on the horizon, with a recent conference of journalists producing a blueprint for such a national union.

The move toward greater national cooperation and consolidation comes at a time when German media seems poised to expand science coverage. According to a recent study funded by the Bertelsmann Foundation (www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de), over 60 percent of journalists questioned saw a growing public interest in science topics, especially the life sciences.

Carried out by the University of Munster, the study surveyed 40 regularly employed editors and freelance journalists who report on science for German newspapers, as well as 30 media heads.

Over 90 percent of the journalists queried believed that life science topics such as nutrition, health, medicine, genetics, and bio-technology will become central topics in the future and play an important role in maintaining readership.

Over 60 percent of media executives surveyed expected opportunities for science journalists to increase, but 70 percent also thought journalists needed further education in these areas of interest.

In response, the Bertelsmann Foundation, BASF AG, and the Volkswagen Foundation have begun a joint five-year project called Qualification Programme for Science Journalism to help journalists brush up on their science skills. The first of several one- week seminars to be held around Germany will take place in October. The program will also include a new university course on science journalism.

In addition to the qualification and advanced training of a new generation of science journalists, scientists will also be trained in how to interact with the media. According to the organizers, “An open discourse between journalists and scientists, which can shape a mutual understanding of the modes of operation of each field, is a central prerequisite for good reporting on scientific topics.”

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For more information on this ambitious program, contact Wolfgang Goede, Science Editor of PM Magazine, Goede.Wolfgang@muc.guj.de, or Franco Zotta, the project manager, franco.zotta@bertelsmann.de.

Jim Cornell is president of the International Science Writers Association. Send items of interest-international programs, conferences, events, etc.-to cornelljc@earthlink.net.