Fiona Clark

Mass communication and public understanding of environmental problems: the case of global warming:

Public understanding of global warming, also known as global climate change, is treated here as an example of a mass communication problem that has yet to be adequately solved. A survey of metropolitan area residents found that although people are aware of this problem in a general sense, understanding of particular causes, possible consequences, and solutions is more limited. Both mass media and interpersonal communication appear to make a positive contribution to understanding, as well as to perpetuating some popular misconceptions.

A Longitudinal Study of the New York Times Science Times Section

The weekly science section of the New York Times, Science Times, is an important and influential entity in science journalism. This article presents the results of an in-depth, longitudinal study of Science Times over twenty years. Sampling every five years from 1980 to 2000, the authors analyzed changes in the size of the section, advertising, and coverage emphasis in terms of disciplines and themes treated. Science Times grew from 1.7 pages per issue, on average (excluding advertising), in 1980 to 5.4 pages per issue in 2000. While the downturn in computer-related advertising is often blamed for the demise of science sections in other newspapers, Science Times was bigger in 2000 than during the boom years of computer-related advertising. Medicine, health, and behavior received the most attention overall, although the proportion varied over time. While research findings were the most frequent theme, explanations, reviews, and profiles were a substantial component. The findings are discussed with regard to the institutional history of Science Times.

Dimensions of Civic Science: Introductory Essay

A civic scientist has been described by Neal Lane, former presidential science adviser, as one who “engages the public in a dialogue about science and society.” The concept of the civic scientist has received considerable attention nationally with the recent publication of a report on the subject by the National Science Board. But concepts and terms used in the literature and the press to characterize civic scientists and civic science have been ambiguous, if not conflicting. This article analyzes these recent articulations of the civic science concept, situating these ideas within the context of the existing science communication landscape.

Television Reliance and Political Malaise: A Contingency Analysis

The relationship of media reliance with political powerlessness and political cynicism was elaborated in terms of three measures of political involvement-sense of citizen duty, campaign interest, and importance of political advertising. Data were collected and analyzed from a RDD sample of 459 Seattle voters. The results suggest that Robinsons videomalaise hypothesis is subject to a number of contingencies that limit its generality, including the possibility that newspaper reliance may actually contribute to reduced political malaise.

Portrayals of engineers in "Science Times"

Engineering plays a crucial role in the creation of technologies and infrastructure that make vital contributions to the U.S. economy and security, to U.S. prestige in the international arena, and to individual well-being through the provision of jobs, services, and products. Despite this, a large proportion of the U.S. public undervalues the role played by engineers in a wide variety of technologically-based activities, holds engineering as a less prestigious occupation than science, and regards engineers as less socially responsible than scientists. In addition, declining levels of enrollment by Americans in engineering programs, together with under-representation of women and minorities in the profession, are also seen as causes for concern. The reasons for these low levels of public understanding about what engineers do are most likely complex. However, since Americans obtain much of their information about science and technology through the mass media, it seems likely that media coverage of engineering plays at least some role in the formation of public ideas about engineers and engineering.

Content Analysis of New York Times Coverage of Space Issues for the Year 2000

Human activities in space have changed and grown significantly in magnitude and complexity over the past several years, prompting an investigation of the extent to which media coverage reflects the current state of the space arena. This study provides overviews of recent developments in the space arena and of previous research on space coverage. A content analysis was conducted of all space-related stories and editorials found in the New York Times during the time period 1 January to 31 December 2000.The study characterizes New York Times coverage of the main elements of the space arena (civil, commercial, national security, and the associated legal/regulatory issues) during that time period and discusses some implications of this coverage.

Visibility of Team Science A Case Study of Media Coverage of the NSF Science and Technology Centers

There is a growing trend toward interdisciplinary research, with team science often touted as key to the creation of new knowledge and capabilities important to solving societal problems. But the balance between the funding of team efforts versus smaller grants is an issue that continues to be debated nationally. We analyzed media coverage of 17 active U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Science and Technology Centers (STCs) from 2000 to 2006. Research received the greatest coverage (49.5 percent), followed by institutional news (24.4 percent). A center name appeared in 35 percent of the items, and the NSF and STC program were less visible, at 31 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Surprisingly, no significant differences were found between hard news and feature stories in mentions of centers, NSF, or STC. Thus, even with the greater length and flexibility of a feature, the STC model and nature of team science remains essentially invisible to the public through the lens of the media.