Future of Science Journalism

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The 2014 Australian Science Communicators Conference. From left, Ian Townsend, Leigh Dayton, me, Jenni Metcalfe: Picture courtesy of Corey Watts

I TOOK part in a cracking panel discussion earlier this month at the 2014 Australian Science Communicators national conference in Brisbane.

I joined former science editor on The Australian, Leigh Dayton, ABC Background Briefing’s Ian Townsend and Jenni Metcalfe, of science communication agency Econnect , for a chat/argument about the future of science journalism.

ABC Radio National host Natasha Mitchell was the moderator.

You can’t argue that mainstream journalism is going through a bit of a crisis at the moment – or at least the way its funded is.

As newsrooms shrink, so do the number of specialist journalists.  It leaves a lovely gaping hole ripe for exploitation by PR, think tanks and the like.

I shared my thoughts on the challenges journalists face when scientific issues like climate change become politicised and how just being a conduit for the opinions of others doesn’t always cut it.

Listen to the whole metaphorical shooting match below and, below that, a Storify of reaction to the panel.

Thanks to Bianca Nogrady and Sarah Keenihan for putting the panel together.

Here’s the Storify of tweets and thoughts as the panel got going, from Sarah Keenihan.

Author: Graham

Graham Readfearn is a Brisbane-based journalist. Go to the About page in the top navigation for more information.

1 thought on “Future of Science Journalism”

  1. Thanks for this! I’m currently writing a piece on the future of science journalism for EMBO Reports, and I’d love to talk to you more in depth about your thoughts on the future of the field.

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