A Report on Science and Technology Coverage in the South African Print Media

This report contains the results of a study aimed to establish the status of science and technology in a representative sample of the South African press. The research was a quantitative analysis and an attempt to identify large-scale patterns and trends in the South African press. Fifteen South African publications were monitored over a period of three months, from the morning of 18 March to the evening of 17 June 2002. South African regional and national print media titles, which reflect a geographical and cultural diversity in its target markets and are produced by South African based companies, were selected.

In the category for dailies, the following publications were studied: Die Burger, Beeld,
Cape Argus, The Star and Sowetan. In the category for weekly national newspapers, the following were included: City Press, Mail & Guardian, Sunday Independent, Sunday Times, Rapport and Business Day. Two magazines, Finance Week and Financial Mail, were selected. And, finally, two regional newspapers formed part of the study: Eikestadnuus and Sasolburg Bulletin.

The research was done by a team of 22 students from the Department of Journalism at the University of Stellenbosch. The students had to monitor the publications on a weekly basis and complete a questionnaire on the relevant science articles published. A research leader monitored the selected articles and compiled an electronic database.

The articles that were included dealt either directly with an issue of science and technology or with a broad issue for which scientists could provide perspective. Any report or feature, which had science as a main theme, focus or subject, was included. The articles were collected according to a well-defined sampling procedure through which a broad spectrum of science categories was covered.

The study looked at different categorical variables: the profile of journalists, tone of articles, use of visuals and info graphics, discourse of benefits and risks, prominence awarded to science stories, prominence awarded to controversial aspects, science categories covered and sources used in the compilation of science stories.

Conclusion

The small percentage of science and technology articles published during the research period points to a lack of science and technology coverage in the South African press. Unfortunately a "lack" of coverage is difficult to define and judge. "Such a judgement is inherently political, and different stakeholders in the scientific community and the media are likely to have different views" (Bauer et al., 1995). More research is needed to assess the view of readers and to express the amount of science coverage in terms of other areas of coverage.

It can be argued that the local press is too dependent on foreign publications and news agencies in the provision of science stories. This also explains why fewer local sources are quoted. It should be noted, however, that economic restraints probably add to the apparent lack of dedicated science writers within the South African context. Time restraints could also have had an effect. The question of the allocation of resources within the newsroom was beyond the scope of this study.

The small number of published feature articles might be a problem. A significant imbalance between breaking news stories and feature stories might contribute to a public misunderstanding of science issues. Once again, the definition of such an imbalance is hard to define and beyond the scope of this study. The positive evaluative tone of coverage and the discourse of benefits point to a positive relationship between science and the South African press.

The study raises some concern with regards to the use of visuals, and especially infographics, in the South African coverage of science and technology. Although the beneficial properties of visuals and infographics have been pointed out by several research studies, it seems as if the local press has not quite caught up with the trend.

Recommendations

The report suggests that in future this study be repeated at regular intervals. The results will be even more reliable if the study is conducted over a longer period, preferably for a minimum time span of a year. This will compensate for irregularities in breaking news stories, like Mark Shuttleworth's space voyage in April 2002. A complementary qualitative research study is suggested to accompany similar future studies.