This is very relevant for journalists and news media. The discussion on channels and language, and also how to balance publicity and “media frenzy” with intelligent discussion and even the process of science itself is very similar to what people thinking about the future of news must consider.

The take-home lesson is that this is a really innovative model for going broad and reaching audiences, and it’s a model that there’s a lot to learn from in terms of effectiveness and strategy. But the danger is that in activating those broader channels that you don’t go beyond what can accurately and honestly be said about the significance of the paper for the promise of the underlying science. There’s a lot to like about the strategy and the planning and the wider attention that this study has gotten, but there’s a lot to debate about the language and metaphor that’s been used to convey the significance of the study.

via Fossil frenzy :The Scientist [21st May 2009].

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