The Media, Scientific Knowledge and Democracy

The medias’ role as the fourth branch of government often stands in a precarious balance with their motivations as profit seeking corporations. When faced with the task of reporting scientific information these constraints are amplified, as the media is often unable or unwilling to accurately report background information and competing theories. This is particularly worrisome as citizens often rely solely on the media to inform them of important scientific issues, such as the environmental crisis. Many citizens lack a scientific background, and cannot independently research scientific reports or form their own opinions. For this reason, it is imperative that the media fairly and accurately represents scientific research. When the media fails to do so, it creates biases and misguides public opinion. In turn, politics, such as environmental policies, may be misguided as they are shaped by public opinions and the democratic process. An uninformed or misguided public is a threat to democracy and hinders our ability to appropriately respond to issues where scientific knowledge is of vital importance. Two examples of this can be seen in Nils Roll-Hansen’s paper. Although Roll-Hansen does an excellent job presenting the problem at hand, I believe that he under estimates the role which governments and citizens play in perpetuating misguided scientific biases and opinions. It is always wrong for the media to intentionally mislead the public. However, I believe that governments and citizens also have a duty to proactively shape and correct public opinions. In my paper, I will attempt to outline this duty and explain how we can attempt to overcome the limitations the media faces with regards to scientific information.

As the fourth branch of government, the media has a vital role in shaping an efficient, well-informed democracy. It is the medias’ duty to inform citizens about pertinent issues, and ensure that they have the necessary knowledge in order to collectively deliberate and influence political decisions. However, the media is comprised of corporations who have a fiduciary duty to seek profits for their shareholders. The motivation for profits places many constraints on the media and limits their ability to fairly and accurately report the news (Roll-Hansen, 333). Regarding news of a scientific nature, the constraints of profit motivation come in three main forms. First, increased viewership leads to larger advertising profits. Therefore, the media would rather report a dramatic, exciting story which interests viewers, even if it is not an accurate representation of the issue at hand. Second, it is often cheaper and easier for reporters to use information directly from their sources, without questioning it or researching background information and competing scientific theories. Strict deadlines and limited time make it difficult for journalists to pursue in-depth analysis or extensive technical knowledge. Lastly, reporters