Re: Educating Journalists

[rkathren@tricity.wsu.edu (Ron L. Kathren)]

David --

I applaud your effort.  Regrettably, I am not optomistic, this being based
on years of experience with the media and well over 1000 public
presentations.  Simply stated, the media are biased.  A Pulitzer prize was
won last year for a series on the plutonium injection cases in which the
reporter revealed information that had I revealed, would have resulted in
criminal action.  The ethics of the media, and their self styled perception
of themselves in terms of their obligation of protecting the public is often
in conflict with thew ethics of other professions (eg law, the clergy as
well as scientists and engineers).  But, if I can help, let me know.

Ron Kathren

>>  Those Radsafers with positions in universities that have journalism
>> > programs could perhaps lobby the journalism faculty for that emphasis
in the selection
>> 
>> That's a great idea.  Would all of the campus RSO's on RADSAFE be
>> willing to comply with Karin's suggestion?   Al Tschaeche xat@inel.gov
>
>I was inspired.  I wrote the following to the Dean of the College of 
>Communications which includes the Dept. of Journalism and Printing 
>and  Dept. of Radio/Television.  I hope this isn't a waste of Radsafe 
>space.  Notes: 1. I'm a microbiologist, not an HP, so my slant is 
>fairly broad, and 2. I know the Dean and the Chair of 
>Radio/Television personally, which explains the informality of the 
>letter.
>
>Russ,
>I'd like to pass a thought on to you that I think deserves some 
>consideration.  I subscribe to an internet listserver called RADSAFE 
>which is a forum for those involved in radiation protection. In case 
>you were not aware, I am the University Radiation Safety Officer.  
>Items appearing on Radsafe range from the theoretical to the 
>practical to the editorial. Subscribers include university types, 
>medical types, and many within the nuclear power industry.  A recent 
>thread has been that journalists over the last 25 years have been 
>"educated" on how bad radiation is, and that the other side of the 
>coin is not known, understood, or appreciated.  A recent posting told 
>of a daughter who studied journalism (in the UK) after earning a 
>degree in science, and apparently is the only student in her class 
>with any background in science at all.
>    Science permeates our lives, with nuclear power, diseases, and 
>pollution having important and often misunderstood effects on the 
>average person.  An inspection of the ASU Bulletin reveals that a 
>minor is required of students in the College of Communications.  How 
>many students currently minor in a science?  Is anything done to 
>promote such an option or remind students of the opportunity?  Many 
>aspects of science feared by the public at large, from radiation to 
>genetic engineering, are feared from ignorance, and todays 
>journalists don't seem to possess the required knowledge to allay 
>unwarranted fears by educating in the course of their reporting.  The 
>explosion of scientific knowledge and its direct and indirect effect 
>on the public are likely to continue.  There will be a  corresponding 
>need to have journalists who can inform the public in the face of 
>constant change, who will eschew sensationalism based on ignorance 
>and provide scientifically valid information to a needful public.
>    Thank you for the opportunity to share my opinions.
>
>David F. Gilmore
>Assistant Professor of Environmental Biology    0  0 
>P.O. Box 599, Dept. of Biological Sciences       __    "have a day" 
>Arkansas State University 
>State University, AR 72467
>dgilmore@navajo.astate.edu
>ph  501-972-3082    fax 501-972-2638
>
>