the-BA : Can scientists really fake it as journalists?

After just four hours, could a practising scientist pass herself off as a bona fide journalist? That’s what Victoria Burns, a health psychologist from the University of Birmingham, found herself doing as part of her placement at the Irish Times. The placement was part of the BA Media Fellowship scheme, organised by the BA.

‘The media fellowship scheme is like Faking It for scientists,’ says Vikki, referring to the successful Channel 4 reality show. ‘Writing in academia is something that generally takes months, and gets put off until I’m in the right “mood”. Within four hours of starting my placement, I had two days to finish two articles that would be read by hundreds of thousands of people.’

Fortunately, Vikki, under the guiding hand of seasoned Science Editor Dick Ahlstrom, pulled it off and was soon writing front page copy.

The BA Media Fellowships are intended to give practising scientists and engineers the experience of working within a media organisation so that they are better equipped to communicate their research and expertise to the public and their colleagues. Placements have regularly included the BBC, the Guardian, Daily Telegraph and Nature.

‘A feeling still persists amongst some scientists that the media is prone to misrepresent or exaggerate science,’ says Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of the BA. ‘Our experience of working with the media is very different. Science correspondents are generally extremely knowledgeable and professional. Misunderstandings between scientists and the media can often occur as a result of lack of knowledge of each others’ working practices. By placing scientists and engineers with the media, we hope to promote a mutual understanding.’

This is a view echoed by Ainsley Newson, who did her placement at the Times, working with science correspondent Mark Henderson. ‘Like many academics, despite my best intentions and training, several previous forays into the media had been less than successful: misquotes and missed opportunities felt like the norm, not the exception. I had therefore become accustomed to going into hiding whenever a big story broke – which is quite often in medical ethics.’

Olivia Johnson, an astrophysicist who spent her time with the BBC, was typical of all the Media Fellows. ‘Working as a Media Fellow has increased my appreciation of the work of the science media and my sense of how I can take an active role in it as a scientist. I’ve gained a much better understanding of some of the pitfalls that lead to bad science reporting and of the considerable influence scientists themselves have over how their work is portrayed in the media.’

Applications for the BA Media Fellowships open on 1 February and run until 15 April. More information, including how to apply, plus a web diary by Ainsley Newson, can be found here.

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