science communication  

The report and response on the impartiality of BBC coverage of science has been published - commissioned by the BBC Trust.  Interesting reading overall, with a conclusion of a high quality of coverage, but areas for improvement.  In broad terms there is a need to improve the appropriate weight given in terms of the scientific consensus (where this exists) in areas of controversy - so how pro and con views on human-induced climate change are given. A lot of detail and case studies over a particular time period in evidence.  One slight oddity is that it does not appear that wildlife/nature programming is considered as science: perhaps this is because the scientific basis is not explicit to the layperson?

The ICSU Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the conduct of Science (CFRS) issued an Advisory note on science communication in December 2010..../more

It is interesting in emphasising the role of public communication as part of the professional role of scientists, but equally it is limited in the emphasis on the communication by the scientist of findings or results, not stretching as far as public engagement, but probably reflects the likely reality for most scientists. Favourable comment on ScienceWise and SciDevNet.