journalist FAQs
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Fiona fox's blog
In collaboration with journalists, scientists and press officers, the SMC produces a number of publications designed to equip journalists with what they need to know. Having in-depth knowledge of issues across the sciences is a challenge for specialist journalists, let alone generalists, editors and broadcasters who may have to cover a great number of unrelated topics in a single day.
Journalist FAQs
Following Fiona Fox’s written and oral evidence to the Leveson Inquiry, the Science Media Centre was challenged to act on the assertion that “if you put the best scientists, science communicators and science journalists in a room it would not take long for them to agree a tick list of the basic ingredients of good science reporting.”
The guidelines were therefore drawn up in consultation with scientists, science reporters, editors and sub editors and are designed to be used by newsrooms and as advice for non-specialist reporters.
In his report, Lord Justice Leveson described remarked on the guidelines as being “in my view commendable for their utility as well as their succinctness. Any new regulator should bear them closely in mind.”