Science Communication

Outside the Ivory Tower and Beyond Science Journalism

Closing Event of the Research and Communication Program

Dr. György FÁBRI PhD

Head of Communication

Hungarian Academy of Sciences

I.

The communication of knowledge and society

– the social presence of scientific research and technological

development

Some Information About the Project

General Information:

• Organizer: Knowledge Society XXI. Foundation

• Period: January – December 2006• Supported by the Jedlik Ányos program

of the National Office for Research and Technology

• in cooperation with the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and Mindentudás Egyeteme/ENCOMPASS

Content of the project• Theoretical researches

– Philosophical and sociological context of Science Communication– Views about Science in Hungary– Tendencies of the media from the viewpoint of content rating– Effects and evaulations of the Mindentudás Egyeteme/ENCOMPASS

• Practical uses– Developing strategies of Science Communication for research institutes– Media planing for science contents– Developing of the lectures „Mindentudás Egyeteme”/ENCOMPASS– Preparations for launching Science Communication Training for

researchers – Building a knowledge base for science communication information

(www.tudastars.hu)

Events

• Opening Conference and Seminar series (March-May 2006)Pléh Csaba, Gulyás Balázs, Nyíri Kristóf, Patkós András (Members of the HAS), Hronszky Imre, Tamás Pál Professors

• Launched www.tudastars.hu in April 2006• Published volume „Reason and Value in Science

Communication” in May 2006• Science Communication: Outside the Ivory Tower

and Beyond Science Journalism – international conference and workshop 26-27. 11. 2006.

• Summary volumes of the projects will be published in December 2006

II.Results of the Empirical Surveys

Situation of Science Communication in Hungary

2007

Degree of trust in the given institutions (1-4)

2,022,062,072,11

2,212,342,392,4

2,532,62,642,662,67

2,762,792,792,822,86

2,973,09

0 0,5 1 1,5 2 2,5 3 3,5 4

HAS

Constitutional Court

European Commission

President of the Republic

Hungarian National Bankstate attorney's offices

local authorities

Hungarian Television

courts

Hungarian Radio

police

army

churches

daily papers

trade banksparliament

insurance companies

government

labour union

political partiesMedián survey November 2006

Reputation of Mindentudás Egyeteme / ENCOMPASS

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

most oftenwatched (%)

most high level(%)

Magellán

MindentudásEgyeteme

Delta

Mindentudás Egyeteme/ENCOMPASS

• Very widely known

• Permanently high ratings in its category

• Reaches new groups of spectators (youths, managers)

• Favoring traditional forms

• Professional standards as the most important feature for spectators

• Used for general orientation

Total Reach of Mindentudás Egyeteme

HAVE NOT SEEN

1.400.610 (17%)HAVE SEEN

6.740.826 (83%)

11

1,81,74

1,85

1,27 1,29

1,51,42

1,94

1

1,2

1,4

1,6

1,8

2

I. szemeszter III. szemeszter V. szemeszter VII. szemeszter

Average ratings by semesters (AMR 15+)

12

Audience shares (share 15+) by months, averages

0,0

2,0

4,0

6,08,0

10,0

12,0

14,0

haviátlag2002.09.

haviátlag2003.02.

haviátlag2003.07.

haviátlag2003.12.

haviátlag2004.06.

haviátlag2005.01.

haviátlag2005.06.

haviátlag2006.02.

III.Theoretical researches and

Conclusions Dilemmas and their Resolutions in

Science Communication

Scientists’ roles

researcher

Research-manager

Science-communicator

Researchers’ attitudes• The need and of conveying knowledge to

lay people is a key attitude in Hungary’s scientist society today.

• The importance of media aspects has become accepted.

• More and more scientists have become media actors.

We are outside the ivory tower...We are outside the ivory tower...

Scientific journalism• Underpositioned place in traditional media• Excluded from commercial television (taht is, the

larger part of the space of media use!)• Low representation of the theme of „Science” in

Hungarian public media• Success story in the digital media:

– origo.hu science section– www.mta.hu– Mindentudás Egyeteme/ENCOMPASS portal

Media situation

• Dependence of visual culture on trends

• Merger of producer interests and trends of

fashion

• Increasingly totalized media market

• Increasingly concentrated media market

• Media industry: downward competition spiral

The media strategy of science

• Prerequisite of maintaining value-governed principles: existence of own values

• Conservative value consciousness and professional media tools prevail at the same time:

Content constructed by meritocratic principles The most open media presence Competitive media technology Exceeding one-dimensional media standard

Redefinition of the roles in Science Communication:

Scientist communicators or scientific journalists?

The effective strategy of science communication:Scientist communicvators

and and

Scientific journalists

togethertogetherFor media positions!

All this requires scientific media as a ‘home front’

Strengthening traditional scientific printed mediaLet it be a Hungarian „Science”!

Independent positions in electronic media

IV.Practical Results and Utilities

of the Projects

MediaTV series about institutes of the HASNew TV shows: creative documentary films

and science/scientist spotsNew forms of communication: science-blogs,

science policy tv-discussionsDeveloping ENCOMPASS: new elements of

the lecturesSupport for traditional weekly science

magazine „Élet és Tudomány” (Life and Science)

Communication of the HAS

Strategical developmentOrganization of the Hungarian Science

FestivalScience campaigns (GMO, Genomics)Communication services for academic and

university institutes

Main Tasks

• Develop of the Science Communication Training for researchers

• Expand student basis for the Science-departments

• Improving the presentation skills of science teachers

Launch of the Hungarian Science TV Chanell

•Hungarian Academy of Sciences

•ENCOMPASS

•Investors

Common Initiative:

Thank YouFor Your Attention!

Dr. Fábri György PhDprojekt-leader

www.fabrigyorgy.hu