ROLE OF SCIENCE JOURNALISM

Rapid scientific advances and technological changes have pervasive effects and many repercussions on social structures and the daily life of individuals. These S&T advances and/or changes have raised both expectations for increased well-being and concerns about the possible risks associated with new technologies and their adverse effects on the lifestyle, culture, economy and environment. It has also raised some ethical and moral questions about the pursuit of science. There are mal-practices (pseudoscience) in the name of science. In such a context, social acceptance of new avenues for scientific research increasingly requires a permanent dialogue with an informed civil society. This calls for efforts aimed at a better understanding of S&T related issues by the public. Science journalism is to play a great role in this regard. It offers opportunities to learn about scientific advances throughout one’s life but in an informal setting and can promote scientific awareness and scientific temper among the masses and can serve for the cause of science popularization. No doubt, presently it’s in the formative stage in developing countries like India. But it has miles to go ahead and has many roles to play. Here are some important ones:

a)      To inform policy-makers and the public about science.

b)      To make aware/educate the masses about S&T advances and their implications.

c)      To make the public appreciate the benefits of science in long term.

d)     To familiarize the public and the government about the pseudoscience and science frauds.

e)      To develop scientific temper among the masses, especially children.

f)       To motivate and inspire the young minds to take up science as their career.

g)      To help making the practice of science a fair play and in the direction of development and global prosperity.

h)      To improve the standard of lifestyle.

i)        To eliminate the blind-faiths, superstitions and ignorance still existing in the society.

j)        To generate support of government and the public for science.

k)      To highlight the problems of public, etc. for scientific resolution.

l)        To inform the public and government about the implications of S&T or R&D.

m)    To break the monopoly of scientists on the practice of science.

n)      To advocate the appropriate sides in the scientific issues/controversies.

o)      To make a platform for open discussion and debate on any scientific issue or development.

p)      To make the available scientific knowledge ready for public consumption.

q)      To initiate public debate on emerging issues of scientific importance which are relevant to the people and are of their immediate concern so as to enable them to take informed decisions to lead their life in a democratic society.

r)       To improve the scientific literacy.

s)       To help people developing scientific reasoning/thinking.

t)       To make science easily accessible to the public in a jargon-free and comprehensive language.

u)      To commonise the scientific culture and the scientific methodology among the public for use in their day-to-day life.

v)      To educate masses so that they can have a say in policy-making on S&T and the related issues, in adopting new technologies or funding R&D.

w)    To equip the public with the tools of scientific knowledge so that they can make better decisions at personal level to make life better and easy.

x)      To generate science literate and aware citizenry.