Fresh Focus On Science Reporting

New media centre provides access to experts and information.

Journalists nationwide now have better access to scientific experts and research with the opening today of the independent Science Media Centre.

The aim of the Wellington-based centre is to improve communications between scientists and the media so New Zealanders are better informed about what goes on in the country's laboratories and the important role science plays in society.

The Science Media Centre is a resource aimed squarely at the media – traditional, new and evolving – providing access to science experts and information.

The Royal Society of New Zealand is operating the centre after winning a government tender. The Society has appointed former newspaper technology journalist and columnist Peter Griffin as manager.

"This is an independent and holistic resource that breaks down local barriers to science and technology information and experts," says Di McCarthy, CEO of the Royal Society.

"Our long term aim is to raise public awareness of New Zealand's ongoing achievements in these areas and encourage public engagement and debate."

The centre has no scientific viewpoint simply facilitating stories and contacts to provide media representatives with as wide a range of views as possible, Peter Griffin says.

"The transformation of the newsroom, the devolution of traditional journalist rounds and the increasing pressure reporters are under to deliver more copy to tighter deadlines means various areas of coverage have really suffered - science coverage in particular.

"There may already be a fair bit of science in our media but much of it is driven by international developments and foreign press coverage and is slanted towards the fascinating or shocking. There's an opportunity to make science coverage more relevant to New Zealanders.

"We can provide that by helping journalists gain access to a broader range of scientists who are able to put these big issues into a local context and by showing them science is a beat worth covering. We can also prepare scientists for a closer relationship with the media."

The Minister of Science Research and Technology Hon. Pete Hodgson says there will always be debate around the path New Zealand should take in the future.

"What is clear is that science and technology will be at the heart of the opportunities and challenges we face. The media has a central role in shaping the decisions and giving society the ability for its voice to be heard in the debate."

Mr Hodgson says that when the work behind the centre started, it was obvious it had to be independent.

"The centre is a standalone broker between the media and the science sector. The government initiated it and is funding it, but in a way that ensures the centre's activities and operations are in no way influenced by the government."

In addition to background information on science in New Zealand, the centre website at www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz carries alerts on breaking science news stories, quotes from experts and background documents to help journalists put stories together.

Visitors can also sign up to automatically receive information on areas of interest to them.

Similar science media centres operate successfully in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Issued for the Science Media Centre by Pead PR