African media should do justice to science coverage

Lazarus Sauti

The media have a critical role to play in facilitating the public understanding of science. Science journalists in the African continent should therefore typically assume the position of “intermediaries” between the scientist and members of the public who are interested in a given scientific subject.

More so, media in Africa should provide more space in covering science stories and at the same time ensure that the continent’s interests are safeguarded.

This means that African journalists should do justice in making sure that issues pertaining to science are well presented to the continent and her citizenry.

The media should stand firm in ensuring that science is put at the front of the continent’s development agenda.

For this, President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete once said, “African journalists should allocate more space to stories relating to science other than go for the habitual cheap politics of who said what against whom.”

Media in Africa should report more on science issues such as climate change, epidemics, research and innovation. These stories should compete for headline space with politics and sports.

Kejang Henry Atembeh, an editor at Canal 2 International in Cameroon, said viewers are asking for more science stories, which are consequently getting more media attention.

Atembeh said: “… people are keen on knowing why floods happened and how they could prevent a recurrence in the future. Farmers want to hear about research findings that enable them grow better-yielding crops. People are excited about medical breakthroughs announcing new drugs against malaria. Others want to hear about the latest cellphone technology and so on.”

Accordingly, it is the responsibility of media in countries within and across the African continent to provide detailed coverage of such stories.

For African media to effectively cover science stories, training of science journalists is crucial. Training helps senior journalists to stimulate a growing interest among young African journalists to report on science.

Quality training of science journalists can successfully improve the quality of reporting and at the same time improves researchers’ trust in journalists.

Maxwell Awumah, science journalist with the Ghana News Agency, believes science training is of paramount importance in the coverage of science stories.

Awumah said: “My competence has been enhanced in science reporting, and I am now well positioned to be able to see and sniff science from afar.

“It has given me the leverage to critique issues and set the right agenda, to follow policymakers and scientists so that in the end, we bring accelerated development in Africa.”

The media industry should therefore work closely with training institutions to introduce science curricula as a way of improving the understanding of science issues. Such a foundation is crucial to long-term interest in the field and improvement in its coverage.

Media in the African continent should have explicit policies and guidelines informing the coverage of science. This would ensure a proactive approach in looking for and publishing stories relating to science; ensure that science issues are given space or airtime whenever they arise; and mean a dedicated team of journalists is encouraged to look for such stories.

Furthermore, policy decision makers in the field of science in Africa must increasingly recognise the importance of science in fostering development. They should further encourage their countries to create national associations of science reporters, recognising the best journalists with awards and setting up dedicated science publications.

The national association should carry activities such as training and conferences so that science reporters will come together to work on one thing or the other. The purpose in life of association of science conferences should bring together industrial leaders, research and policy makers to discuss innovative ways of improving the coverage of science stories in African countries.

Although science coverage is on the rise in the continent, it still faces hurdles. Experts pinpoint difficult access to information and data sources and limited resources as major hindrances. Thus, African governments must craft policies that ensure easy access to science information and data.

To overcome these hurdles, African Heads of State and governments should use resources in their respective countries to ensure effective coverage of science stories. It is unwise to wait for funding from outside agencies.

The President of the World Federation of Science Journalists, Jean Marc Fleury believes that funding science journalism with local resources helps to keep science coverage vibrant.

Fleury said, “… find resources locally helps to build a critical mass so that eventually, there will be a buzz around science journalism in Africa and science journalists will bring ideas, initiate important debates so that good debates can be made."

The funding of science reporting in the continent will provide a welcome source of knowledge to a continent depending on science to boost economic growth in coming years.