ABSTRACT
Journalists have a very important role to play in communicating scientific information to the public, but their role can be difficult to fulfil in a responsible fashion. As conspiracy theories proliferate and special-interest groups become increasingly sophisticated at “manufacturing uncertainty” about research that conflicts with their interests, journalists are faced with challenging ethical tensions. On one hand, it is important for them to provide information that is relevant, interesting, and balanced with respect to different perspectives. On the other hand, they have responsibilities to be accurate and to avoid magnifying false or misleading information. This chapter focuses specifically on tensions that journalists face between the norm of accuracy and three other norms: (1) promoting the public good, (2) fostering public engagement with science, and (3) providing balanced reporting. The chapter argues that one of the best ways for journalists to navigate these tensions is to draw on recent work by philosophers of science and to discuss the roles that value-laden judgements play in scientific research.
