Truth and the media
DOI: 10.1063/1.2930716
As a high-tech entrepreneur, I found both the Union of Concerned Scientists’ book A Scientist’s Guide to Talking with the Media and Stephen Maran’s review of it quite on point (Physics Today, October 2007, page 58 ). Varying perspectives can explain media outcomes that are very different from scientists’ expectations, even though scientists and journalists both seek the truth.
The scientific community has accepted a cultural standard that judges its product, knowledge of nature, in as methodical and objective a manner as possible by requiring repeatability of measurement and observation. On the other hand, media organizations judge their product, truth in human affairs, in a subjective manner that reflects the outlook of the publisher or owner. The success of that media product is typically evaluated by the success of advertising to a targeted subpopulation.
More about the Authors
Larry Gadeken. (larrygad@betabatt.com) BetaBatt Inc, Houston, Texas, US .
