Science journalism

Science journalism is the journalistic coverage of scientific findings, developments and discourses. Science journalists mediate between the sciences and the mass media or the public. They explain scientific knowledge, organize it, and illustrate the importance and relevance of these findings.

Vocational

At the heart of science journalism topics from science, technology and of the empirical history and social science are. Humanities questions are addressed more in arts journalism. Compared to other conventional sections was science journalism until the 1980s, in Germany nor as almost exotic matter and played in many newsrooms usually only a subordinate special role. In the big newspapers and broadcasters in Zeitschriftren and the department science is primarily responsible for the classic reporting on science, technology and medicine. Today, science journalists are increasingly outside the traditional departments in terms of content usually broader field "knowledge" operates. Usually science journalists report under separate division pages or broadcasts. Likewise, they provide - especially in current events - reports to other departments and programs.

Access to science journalism usually requires a university degree and a journalism training. Science journalists work freelance or permanent staff, for press, radio, television and online journalism. Occasionally, they also write popular science books. Moreover, they are increasingly active in the press and public relations science-technology- oriented companies and scientific institutions (universities, research institutes, foundations, associations ).

The Science Press Conference (FPC ) is a German professional association of science journalists.

History

Already in the Weimar Republic reported especially, the press regularly about developments in research ( prime example: modern physics ). A specialized science journalism, which initially was strongly oriented technology, was created in 1929 with the founding of TELI, the world's first association of technology - and science journalists. Once the public and the journalists themselves had the idea that science journalism is a kind of mouthpiece for researchers - science journalists " translated " only the jargon of the specialists in the everyday language. Long to see science journalists their activities in a more differentiated. They question, evaluate and comment on developments in research and applications in research policy, and in dealing with the company's knowledge and technology. In the media communication the classic television scholars such as Heinz Haber and Hoimar of Ditfurth had a pioneering role. Well-known science journalists, for example, Dieter E. Zimmer and Ranga Yogeshwar.

Since the 1990s, scientific journalistic reports are also increasingly within the culture journals and feature articles. Leading the way was this the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the scientific reports gave a wider space in their features section. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung in turn had a very early developed science section. An influence had the thesis of a third culture of the literary agent John Brockman. According to the science and technology win today increasingly a cultural significance and thus play a role that was formerly the philosophy and literary essayists reserved. Although not all the media this attitude explicitly represented, are scientific topics - often conditioned by science journalists - now a regular part of the cultural reporting. Otherwise, the operation of science journalists depends on the medium.

TV

In the 1960s, had the popular science television programs about astronomy with Heinz Haber high ratings, as well as from 1971 to 1983 the ZDF series cross-section of Hoimar of Ditfurth. Popular children's programs such as dandelion expertise to prepare accordingly. More recent German -language broadcasting formats of the spectrum are televised Quarks & Co ( WDR), adventure knowledge with Karsten Schwanke and Joachim Bublath ( ZDF), Nano ( 3sat ) and alpha Centauri with Harald Lesch (BR- alpha).

Since 2001, the format of knowledge has come to the fore. Knowledge Magazine on TV about orient themselves not primarily the results of research, but on the everyday life of the audience. You pack the topics entertaining or emotionally and work the practical value for the viewers out. Pioneer in this genre was the ARD program header. Example: clever! - The show that creates knowledge ( SAT1).

Radio

One of the oldest, still existing scientific radio broadcasts, the " auditorium " on the radio program SWR2: these are journalistic edited understandable lectures by scientists. Today, most public- law broadcasters have at least some of their programs independent science programs: inter alia WDR5 " Leonardo ", " Current Research " in Germany radio, SWR2 "Campus", SWR2 " pulse " SWR2 "knowledge", "logo " NDR Info.

Promotion and prices

Outstanding science journalism are honored with various awards and recognitions. These include:

• The Georg von Holtzbrinck Prize for Science Journalism, the Georg von Holtzbrinck publishing group since 1995 in the areas auslobt press and electronic media; he is endowed with 5,000 euros.
• Every three years the awards at the DECHEMA Achema Fair endowed with 10,000 euros ACHEMA Media Award for Science Journalism. By 1999, the price was a pure Television Award. 2012, the prize was first opened for all types of media.
• Formerly annually awarded Sanofi- Aventis HEUREKA Journalist Award for young science journalists, each in the fields of print, radio, television and online. The prize money amounted to 5,000 euros. Were eligible to participate journalists up to the age of 35 in relation to the knowledge values ​​in Bremen HEUREKA Journalist Award was awarded in November 2010 for the last time.
• Every two years, handed over the Austrian Federal Ministry for Science and Research, the Austrian State Prize for Science Journalism.
• Every two years VDI Society for Energy Engineering the Robert -Mayer- price. It is endowed with 5,000 euros and is awarded for exemplary journalistic representations of the contribution of energy technology to solve the energy problems.
• The Media Award of the German Society for Geography. It is awarded every two years at the German geographer tags.
• The Wilhelm and Ingeborg Roloff - prize, awarded by the German Lung Foundation. The first prize is worth 2,500 Euros, the second with 1,500 euros and is awarded every two years for outstanding contributions to the Pulmonary Medicine / Pulmonology.
• The " acatech " Award for Technical Journalism.
• The "Science Books of the Year", awarded annually by the magazine image of science for outstanding popular science books in six categories, " background ", " explosive ", " entertainment," aesthetics "," perspective " and " surprise ".
• The Matheon Media Award annually honors outstanding journalistic texts of young journalists and journalists on the subject of mathematics in technological applications.
• Since 2006, gives the science section of the Province of Styria the Inge Morath Award for Science Journalism each year in the three categories Austrian print media, electronic media Austrian and international media.
• Since 2008, the Foundation awards the annual Experimental Biomedicine at 20,000 Swiss francs doped Peter Hans Hofschneider Research Award for Science and Medical Journalism for journalistic work in the fields of science and research with a convincing representation of political, scientific or social backgrounds.
• Since 2009, writes the German Network for Evidence -based Medicine ( DNEbM ) eV the Journalist Prize " Evidence-based Medicine in the Media" from. The prize of € 1,500 prize honors journalistic work in which the principles of evidence-based medicine play a central role.