While the public in member states that were part of the EU before 2004 are generally open to science news, with more than 62 per cent saying that they are interested in scientific research, this figure falls to just 38 per cent for those member states that joined since 2004. The differences range from 80 per cent in Sweden to just 24 per cent in Bulgaria.
This is just one of the findings in a new Eurobarometer survey on scientific research in the media.
The survey also shows a difference in the subjects of interest, with the newer member states more focused on information technology
and space, whereas the pre-2004 member states saw higher levels of interest in medicine, environment and energy.
This survey was presented at the First European Forum on Science Journalism in Barcelona last week. A new European Guide to Science Journalism Training was also presented at this event, along with two studies assessing the attitudes of European scientists and senior media representatives respectively on the practices, challenges and opportunities they encounter in their daily work.
Europeans are generally satisfied with the presentation of science in the media, with more than the half (56 per cent) expressing their contentment. However, almost a quarter (24 per cent) of those questioned were dissatisfied and a fifth (20 per cent) had no opinion. The great majority considered the scientific information they got from the media to be reliable (65 per cent), objective (63 per cent), useful (60 per cent), varied (57 per cent) and sufficiently visual (57 per cent).
At the same time there were complaints that the issues were difficult to understand (49 per cent), far from their concerns (45 per cent) and not entertaining (51 per cent).
Generally, those questions indicated that they would prefer scientists (52 per cent) to present scientific information, rather than journalists (14 per cent). There was also a marked preference for short news reports rather than longer in-depth pieces.
Television was the most popular (61 per cent) and most trusted (47 per cent) medium for information about science, though there was a preference for traditional (47 per cent), rather than thematic (27 per cent) TV channels.
Virtually every second Europeans surveyed (49 per cent) read science articles in general newspapers and magazines.
Around a third of EU citizens listened to radio programmes (26 per cent) and looked at information about this topic on the internet (28 per cent).
http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/bcn2007/
This is just one of the findings in a new Eurobarometer survey on scientific research in the media.
The survey also shows a difference in the subjects of interest, with the newer member states more focused on information technology
and space, whereas the pre-2004 member states saw higher levels of interest in medicine, environment and energy.
This survey was presented at the First European Forum on Science Journalism in Barcelona last week. A new European Guide to Science Journalism Training was also presented at this event, along with two studies assessing the attitudes of European scientists and senior media representatives respectively on the practices, challenges and opportunities they encounter in their daily work.
Europeans are generally satisfied with the presentation of science in the media, with more than the half (56 per cent) expressing their contentment. However, almost a quarter (24 per cent) of those questioned were dissatisfied and a fifth (20 per cent) had no opinion. The great majority considered the scientific information they got from the media to be reliable (65 per cent), objective (63 per cent), useful (60 per cent), varied (57 per cent) and sufficiently visual (57 per cent).
At the same time there were complaints that the issues were difficult to understand (49 per cent), far from their concerns (45 per cent) and not entertaining (51 per cent).
Generally, those questions indicated that they would prefer scientists (52 per cent) to present scientific information, rather than journalists (14 per cent). There was also a marked preference for short news reports rather than longer in-depth pieces.
Television was the most popular (61 per cent) and most trusted (47 per cent) medium for information about science, though there was a preference for traditional (47 per cent), rather than thematic (27 per cent) TV channels.
Virtually every second Europeans surveyed (49 per cent) read science articles in general newspapers and magazines.
Around a third of EU citizens listened to radio programmes (26 per cent) and looked at information about this topic on the internet (28 per cent).
http://ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2007/bcn2007/