Finding analytical articles about the problem of media incorrectly presenting science is not exactly an easy task. Anyway, there are some, and I can especially recommend “Sharing the love of science: thoughts on Beddington”. It was published in February 2011 on the blog of Fiona Fox, who is a director of the Science Media Centre, therefore she is experienced in this area.
The article begins with impressive quote of John Beddington, the Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and Professor of Applied Population Biology at Imperial College London. “We are not - and I genuinely think we should think about how we do this - grossly intolerant of pseudo-science, the building up of what purports to be science by the cherry-picking of the facts and the failure to use scientific evidence and the failure to use scientific method.” Fox admits that scientists praised Beddington for stating this, but she suggests different attitude. She thinks that encouraging people to embrace the scientific method is more desirable than persuading them to condemn “anti-scientific” approach. She mentions the Science Media Centre and its mission “to help to renew public trust in science”, which she believes can be accomplished this way.
Overall, the article is not only interesting, but also constructive. The author emphasizes that scientists should be more active in trying to communicate science to wide audience and praises Beddington quote “We must make evidence, and associated uncertainties, accessible and explicable. In a world of global communication, we cannot afford to only speak to ourselves.”
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