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Is a media release labelling system the one thing that could change the media coverage of science?
Our colleagues at the Science Media Centre in the UK have created and launched a simple labelling system to help journalists and the public get their heads around medical research media releases and what they really mean.
Science and health stories are often criticised for containing conflicting, exaggerated or misleading claims, but while journalists may play a role, a 2014 study showed that exaggeration in news is strongly associated with exaggeration in press releases.
From mouse studies being described as if they had been done in humans, or correlation being mixed up with causation, one result of all that confusing information is that just 37 per cent of the public now trust evidence from medical research, according to a recent survey by the UK Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS). The figure is a stark reminder for those of us communicating science research; we need to lift our game.
A voluntary labelling system for media releases may be part of the answer. The system has already been adopted by several major journal publishers including Cell Press and the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
Join us for this online event, when Dr Edward Sykes, Senior Press Manager and Head of Mental Health & Neuroscience at the UK SMC, will introduce and explain the new system.
- How does it work - what are the labels?
- Would it work here?
- Is it a mark of 'quality'?
- Why would I label something in a way that might decrease its media coverage?
A recording of the briefing is now available via the link in the attachment table below.
Date: Wed 25 July 2018
Start time: 16:30 AEST
Duration: 30 min
Venue: Online
For further information, please contact the AusSMC on 08 7120 8666 or email info@smc.org.au.
