Can Science Journalism Be Entertaining and Responsible?

GRW writes "This past week, I attended a panel discussion sponsored by the Perimeter Institute of Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, entitled "Can science journalism be entertaining and responsible?". This was a discussion regarding the role the media could and should play in the dissemination of scientific issues to the general public. Panelists included newspaper, TV and radio journalists. I thought that this might be a good subject for a Slashdot discussion. What do you think about science journalism? How can it better communicate to the general public about science and the scientific method? Can science journalism do a better job of helping people distinguish science from pseudoscience?"

Comments

I guess they could...

[CrazyJoel]

if it sold papers.

Carl Sagan?

[Anonymous Coward]

Um ... didn't Carl Sagan try to do this in his fields?

The world really needs a few more Carl Sagans. Ever since his passing, there's really no one willing to responsibly "popularize" science.

Internet works great

[natron 2.0]

Of course it will always be nearly impossible to find a balanced and unbiased news source, but when it comes to science and tecnology it seems like the major news outlets only like to report on the latest gadgets and anything that will "make life easier". I tent to surf the internet to find my latest science news and reports. I find it easier to visit the sites of those actually doing the scietific studies/experiments. It is easier to get the full story that way.

Slashdot is part of the problem

[Tuxinatorium]

Slashdot always posts the latest crackpot soon-to-be-disproved "discoveries" and leaping to conclusions. "Possible signs of life detected on Venus" my ass. That's called wishful thinking and leaping to conclusions with only a shred of inconclusive "evidence".