For scientists to promote their work to the society successfully have been argued to work closely with the media. Professor Emanuel Dandura, the Executive Director Institute of Strategic and Development Communication, Nasarawa University Keffi Nigeria advised the scientists on Thursday while giving a keynote speech at the Annual Media Convention at Makerere University.
Dandaura says that the media and Science share different values like curiosity, objectivity, truth and innovation among others. He also said that both media and Science serve the community and therefore they should work together to publicize research and innovations that arise from science.
Dandaura recommends that scientists appreciate the mode of work of journalists and Media as a whole. He emphasized the need for scientists to have a dedicated budget to Communication to ensure that their work and innovations are known to the wider public that they serve.
He says that Scientists should use local media to promote their innovations rather than hiring foreign firms that may not understand the local environment. Dandaura also urged the public to take interest in Science Communication because the public invests in science research through government-funded Research.
Dr Barbra Zawedde Mugwanya Senior Knowledge Management Officer at the National Agricultural Research Organization, in her presentation noted that there is still conflict between scientists and journalists. She says that while journalists and the media generally contribute a lot to the commission of science, media and journalists also distort information.
The challenge she identifies is failure for media to correctly simplify scientific terms leading to misrepresentation of facts by using jargons that do not communicate the intended meaning. The Annual Media Convention has since 1998 been organized by Makerere University Department of Journalism and Communication.
It is intended to provide an opportunity for participants to share and gather experience for improving and advancing journalism and communication with a critical focus on the role traditional and social media platforms play in disseminating scientific information in society. This year’s convention has been organized under the theme “Communicating Science in the social media age; Sharing technical information from researchers to the Public”. For comments, call or text us on 0752510225.
