Television wildlife programming as a source of popular scientific information: a case study of evolution

The wildlife television documentary is an important but problematic genre, located between education and entertainment. Noting that the genre has characteristics that may increase its impact on the audience, this paper reviews its potential significance for science communication through a case study of the presentation of issues relating to evolution. First, the continuing popular and political support for creationism is examined, and then the new movement in support of Intelligent Design Creationism outlined. Based on an extensive sample of internationally produced programs, the research findings discussed in the paper focus on two dominant sub-genres: “blue chip” and “presenter-led.” While the former has higher production values and asserts greater authority, the pressures for a strong narrative discourage explorations of the contingency and amorality of evolution. The outcome is, typically, a text that does not challenge creationist accounts and may even implicitly endorse them. Paradoxically, we argue, although the presenter-led format is regarded as lower status within the media industry, it may offer more opportunities for conveying the complexity that is associated with evolutionary accounts. The authors conclude that the market context of television wildlife programming means that educational and entertainment aims and claims are indeed in tension, but with a counter-intuitive outcome

The changing role of the local news media in enabling citizens to engage in local democracies

Using Leeds City Council in the United Kingdom as a case study, we analyse comparatively the changing role of local journalism in the public communications and engagement strategies of local government. Drawing on over 20 semi-structured interviews with elected politicians, Council strategists, mainstream journalists, and citizen journalists, the article explores perceptions of the mainstream news media's role versus new modes of communication in engaging and communicating with citizens. We evaluate the Council's perceptions of its online and offline practices of engagement with different publics, and focus in particular on their interactions with journalists, the news media, and citizen journalists. The article considers how moves towards digital modes of engagement are changing perceptions of the professional role orientations of journalists in mediating between the Council and the general public

Personalised Tweeting: the emerging practices of journalists on Twitter

This study focuses on an in-depth case study of regional news outlet the Bournemouth Daily Echo and the role of Twitter within its editorial team. It is based upon two comparative studies conducted in 2011 and 2013 involving interviews with reporters, photographers and senior editorial staff, a discussion of the company Twitter guidelines and a content analysis of 27 Twitter accounts. During the research timeframe Twitter use increased dramatically amongst journalists leading to a clearer set of emerging practices. The data suggests that types of Twitter use are diverse but routine practices are forming in the areas of news gathering and live reporting causing a shift in traditional gatekeeping and verification conventions. The notion that journalists primarily use Twitter to drive traffic to their legacy platforms is not supported but there is evidence of personal branding and journalists presenting a personalised - but not personal - account of their job via their tweets

Journalists in the United Kingdom : the British exceptionalism

Journalism in Britain is paradoxical. The number of journalists is growing despite declining sales of newspapers and financial pressures in broadcast media. Public opinion surveys indicate that journalists are not respected, yet young people are eager to take up media careers. A typical entrant to journalism is now a university graduate, and university-based training is expanding. At the same time, the training system is in chaos and many practitioners continue to claim that the skills needed are more practical than intellectual. Even in today's "knowledge society", journalism in Britain has neither the institutional structures nor the self-identity of a profession. In occupational ideology and mythology, journalists (even in serious and politically influential media) portray themselves as footloose craft workers.Le journalisme en Grande-Bretagne est dans une situation paradoxale. Le nombre de journalistes augmente, en dépit de la baisse des ventes de journaux et des embarras financiers des médias audiovisuels. Les enquêtes d'opinion publique indiquent que les journalistes ne sont pas respectés, pourtant les jeunes sont désireux d'embrasser la carrière des médias. Un débutant typique dans le journalisme est maintenant un diplômé d'université, et la formation universitaire au journalisme augmente. En même temps, le système de formation est chaotique, beaucoup de praticiens continuent à affirmer que les qualifications requises sont plus pratiques qu'intellectuelles. Même dans la « société de la connaissance » d'aujourd'hui, le journalisme en Grande-Bretagne n'a ni les structures institutionnelles ni l'identité propre d'une profession. Dans l'idéologie et la mythologie professionnelles, les journalistes (même dans des médias sérieux et politiquement influents) se dépeignent en tant qu'ouvriers libres