Antonia Mochan relates Eurobarometer’s findings

Past surveys show that the media is the most important source of information about science for Europeans. The European Commission regularly carries out public opinion surveys to gauge the position of Europeans on various issues of scientific interest. The most recent of these assessed public perception of the presentation of scientific research in the media.(1)

Big disparities

One clear outcome of the survey was that there are huge disparities from one member state to another. 80 per cent of people in Sweden said they were interested in scientific research, whereas this figure was 24 per cent in Bulgaria. A 57 per cent average across the European Union (EU) fell to 38 per cent for those countries that have joined since 2004.

What was clear was that those Europeans who were interested in scientific research were more satisfied with the performance of the media in this field, suggesting that there is no evidence of frustration regarding the way science is portrayed in the media.

It was also interesting to note the differences from one country to another in the areas identified as being of specific interest: there was a much stronger focus on information technology and space in the newer member states, whereas there was much stronger interest in energy, environment and medicine in the pre-2004 members.

TV most popular

When asked about the characteristics of scientific research in the media, 51 per cent of respondents said that the issues were ‘not entertaining’, and 49 per cent described them as ‘difficult to understand’. Having said that, when asked about their priorities for scientific news, only 9 per cent cited entertainment value. Easiness to understand was the major priority, mentioned by 38 per cent of those questioned.

There was a marked preference for presentation of scientific research by scientists themselves (52 per cent) rather than journalists (14 per cent). Journalists were seen as making the content easier to understand, whereas scientists were held to be more trustworthy and more precise.

Television was the most popular medium for information about science, though it is worth noting the preference for traditional (47 per cent) rather than thematic (27 per cent) TV channels. Documentaries were far and away the preferred option for scientific information on television. More surprisingly, perhaps, 57 per cent of those questioned said that they never used the internet to look for information about scientific research. When it came to newspapers, there was a clear preference (53 per cent) for scientific information in a dedicated section.

More interest, more investment

The survey shows a clear correlation between interest in or awareness of scientific issues in the media, and levels of investment in science. Those who were most likely to find the information reliable, objective and entertaining tended to be from countries with relatively high levels of investment in research, such as Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Belgium. 

Those Europeans who were interested in scientific research were more satisfied with the performance of the media in this field

The survey also examined the presentation of European research as compared to research being carried out elsewhere in the world. There was a strong perception that the media carries more news about research carried on outside the EU than within it. This was particularly true of those who expressed dissatisfaction with the presentation of scientific information in the media, suggesting that this is a factor influencing their dissatisfaction.

EU support

In recent years, the importance of science and research as an engine for future prosperity and quality of life has become a central pillar of European policy. There is a common objective to invest three per cent of the European Union’s wealth in science and research by the year 2010. Some EU countries are already above this level, while others are below it. But all member states have pledged to increase their national investment in science.

Communication is now an important aspect of research supported by the European Commission through the Research Framework Programme.

Projects are offered advice and support, if required, to help them tell the public about the results of their research. They can use part of their research budget for information and communication activities. Initiatives such as AthenaWeb2 have been designed to help broadcasters across Europe access state-of-the-art information about European research.

The recent European Forum on Science Journalism brought together journalists and scientists from Europe and beyond to examine a range of issues involved in providing information to the public about science. Surveys such as the one presented above are undoubtedly a useful tool for giving a snapshot of public perception and interest in what is becoming a major topic for European society.

References

1. See http://www.ec.europa.eu/public_
opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_282_en.pdf

2. See http://www.athenaweb.org/

Antonia Mochan speaks on science and research at the European Commission