tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post841003762901227478..comments2024-03-18T09:58:09.828-04:00Comments on <center>Sandwalk</center>: The Problem with Science JournalismLarry Moranhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05756598746605455848noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-84493632289507838502009-07-24T15:34:15.406-04:002009-07-24T15:34:15.406-04:00My definition of a science journalist is an indivi...My definition of a science journalist is an individual who primarily writes on science topics. Carl Zimmer is a science journalist. Chris Mooney is a science journalist. George Will and Tom Friedman are not. Will and Friedman occasionally write a column that is science related but most of their writings have no relationship to science. Calling Will and Friedman science writers is equivalent to calling Stephen Jay Gould a sportswriter because he occasionally wrote an article on baseball.SLCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-72164507987771609322009-07-24T14:55:02.187-04:002009-07-24T14:55:02.187-04:00SLC says,
s Prof. Moran now asserting that every ...SLC says,<br /><br /><i>s Prof. Moran now asserting that every journalist who ever published a column about science is now to be considered a science journalist?</i><br><br>No, not exactly.<br /><br />Are you asserting that science journalism is confined to the writings of card-carrying science journalists and everything else doesn't count?Larry Moranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05756598746605455848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-80580801314591225142009-07-24T11:07:09.235-04:002009-07-24T11:07:09.235-04:00Science journalism is hard
"The synchrotron ...<a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_12905363?source=rss" rel="nofollow">Science journalism is hard</a><br><br /><br />"<i>The synchrotron radiation lightsource itself is a large ring in which X-rays moving at nearly the speed of light...</i>"CrystalCowboynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-83327337199404944722009-07-24T10:57:31.425-04:002009-07-24T10:57:31.425-04:00Is Prof. Moran now asserting that every journalist...Is Prof. Moran now asserting that every journalist who ever published a column about science is now to be considered a science journalist?<br /><br />Is Tom Friedman a science journalist because he occasionally writes a column on a science subject?<br /><br />By the way, Mr. Will, although, IMHO a jackass of monumental proportions, has defended the theory of evolution and bad mouthed intelligent design so he's not always wrong about science.SLCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-38960093004514994512009-07-23T17:16:28.502-04:002009-07-23T17:16:28.502-04:00SLC says,
perhaps I am misinterpreting what Prof....SLC says,<br /><br /><i>perhaps I am misinterpreting what Prof. Moran is saying but in no way, shape, form, or regard can George Will be considered a scientist journalist.</i><br><br>He's a journalist who writes about science and that's all I care about.<br /><br />Are you suggesting that we shouldn't be concerned about him because he's not an official, card-carrying, member of some science journalist union?Larry Moranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05756598746605455848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-51615747055034652892009-07-23T13:25:26.023-04:002009-07-23T13:25:26.023-04:00SLC is technically correct, since George Will is a...SLC is technically correct, since George Will is a columnist who mainly writes about politics. But for the people who read his columns in the Post and many other newspapers it's a meaningless distinction, because they're getting misinformation.Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03829168960578664919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-88438722646674288832009-07-23T13:05:24.837-04:002009-07-23T13:05:24.837-04:00perhaps I am misinterpreting what Prof. Moran is s...perhaps I am misinterpreting what Prof. Moran is saying but in no way, shape, form, or regard can George Will be considered a scientist journalist.SLCnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37148773.post-28961796951810778372009-07-23T12:35:10.334-04:002009-07-23T12:35:10.334-04:00Another problem: It's disappearing. Especially...Another problem: It's disappearing. Especially when media outlets are cutting back everywhere right now. <br /><br />We won't be able to consider good versus bad science journalism if it doesn't exist in the future.Shane Caldwellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03808690769836057720noreply@blogger.com