How Can We Make a Friend Out of an Enemy?
How astronomers and journalists can get along better (pages 30-33)
Diane Scherzler
Summary
Stories about unpleasant experiences when collaborating with journalists circulate among many scientists. Some of them regard journalists as potential enemies against whom they have to be prepared. But is the idea that a journalist must be either friend or foe appropriate at all? This article briefly examines the changing relationship between astronomers, science journalists and the general public over the last few decades. It then gives a view from inside science journalism and finally suggests some ideas on how to establish a better relationship between scientists and journalists.
