science content & audiences - about the...

Science Content & Audiences

1

Contents

• Definition of Science

• ABC Science

• Catalyst: Case study

• Science Education

• Science on FTA TV

• Science on Pay TV

• Science Online

• Science Readership & Opinions

• Ad hoc research: Science & the Media

• Appendix

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How is Science Defined? The term ‘Science’ encompasses a broad range of disciplines and topics. For the

purpose of this document, we have defined Science by the genres listed below. Each genre includes, but is not limited to, a number of subgenres:

• Ancient Worlds

– Anthropology & Sociology; Archaeology; Dinosaurs; Evolution; Palaeontology

• Being Human – Anatomy; Anthropology & Sociology; Mental Health; Neuroscience; Psychology

• Energy & Transport – Air transport; Alternative energy; Engineering; Nuclear issues; Transport

• Environment & Nature – Animals; Botany; Climate Change; Earth Sciences; Oceans & Reefs

• Health & Medical – Diet & Nutrition; Diseases & Disorders; Exercise & Fitness; Medical Research

• Innovation & Technology – Biotechnology; Internet; Inventions; Nanotechnology; Physics

• Space & Astronomy – Space Exploration; Planets & Asteroids; Telescopes; Galaxies

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Science Programming in Australia • On Television, there is a diverse range of science content available within the science genre - from

programs produced specifically for a school aged audience; to programs crossing science content with entertainment; to factual documentaries with a more serious tone.

• Each network broadcasts some form of science content, both on the primary and multi channels. • In 2012 on ABC TV:

– ABC1 screened approximately 400 hours of science related content – ABC2 screened approximately 160 hours of science content – ABC3 screened approximately 500 hours of science content – ABCN24 screened approximately 120 hours of science content

• On Pay TV there are dedicated channels covering science related content: Animal Planet, BBC

Knowledge, Discovery, Discovery Home & Health, Discovery Science, National Geographic & Nat Geo Wild.

• ABC Radio delivers the majority of radio science content in Australia with Radio National & triple j delivering locally produced content & NewsRadio providing content from Deutsche Welle in Germany and BBC World Service.

• A number of websites are dedicated to delivering science related content with ABC Science (inc. Health & Wellbeing) among the top 10 sites to reach Australian audiences.

– ABC Science content/topics/stories are covered by many sections within ABC Online including: Science; Health & Wellbeing; Technology & Games; Environment; Rural; News (incl. BTN); ABC Television & Splash

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ABC Science

4

5

ABC Science Personalities

Ruben Meerman has appeared on ABC’s Catalyst and The Experimentals but is widely known for his appearance on ABC3 as The Surfing Scientist.

Science journalist and broadcaster Robyn Williams presents Radio National's The Science Show and Ockham's Razor.

Dr Karl is one of the most recognisable faces in science. Dr Karl explains science as you've never heard it before each week on Great Moments in Science and his regular Thursday morning segment on triple j.

The team from Catalyst, the ABC’s long running, dedicated science program. Thursdays 8pm, ABC1

Programs in bold are Australian

Source: OzTAM 5 City Metro Consolidated data, Total People 2012

2012 – Top Science Programs ABC1 5 City Metro

In 2012, ABC1 broadcast approximately 400 hours of science related content. A large proportion of this content fell into the ‘Environment & Nature’ and ‘Innovation & Technology’ genres.

6


Source: OzTAM 5 City Metro Consolidated data, Total People (wks 1-30 2013)

2013 ytd – Top Science Programs ABC1 5 City Metro

In 2013, the top science programs on ABC1 were from the ‘Environment & Nature’, ‘Innovation & Technology’ and ‘Ancient Worlds’ genres.

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Programs in Bold are Australian



In 2012, ABC2 broadcast approximately 160 hours of science related content. A large proportion of this content fell into the ‘Being Human’ genre (including psychology, mental health and sociology programs).

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As was the case in 2012, this year to date the top science programs on ABC2 are from the ‘Being Human’ and ‘Health & Medical’ genres.

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2012 – Top Science Programs ABC News 24 5 City Metro

• In 2012, ABC News 24 broadcast approximately 120 hours of science related content. • Programs covered a range of science genres, including Health, Environment & Nature and Innovation & Technology

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2013 – Top Science Programs ABC News 24 5 City Metro

• In In 2013 to date, the top ranked science programs on ABCN24 is similar to 2012, with the ‘Quarter” series dominating the rankings.

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12,400 (2013 ytd)

11,600 (2012)

On the radio & online: Sunday 5-5.30pm & Mon 1-1.30pm

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach up by 58,000 listeners - real growth.

• 2013 ytd: 37% of listeners are 25-54, 62% are 55+. 58% female 10+.

• 2013 ytd: Highest reach (%) in Mel (0.9%), lowest Adel (0.4%).

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /bodysphere website currently up by nearly 1,000.

2012 2013 ytd

Source: Nielsen - All Radio data is 5 City Metro, Ppl 10+ (No Survey 1 in 2011 due to the Brisbane floods). Webtrends data is to June 2013. 12

38,700 (2013 ytd)

42,400 (2012)

On the radio & online: Weekdays 11am-12noon

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach down by 3,000 listeners - no real decline.

• 2013 ytd: 36% of listeners are 25-54, 61% are 55+. 63% females 10+.

• 2013 ytd: Highest reach (%) in Adel (1.2%), lowest Syd (0.8%).

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /bushtelegraph site currently up by 2,700.

2012

2013 ytd


155,500 (2013 ytd)

142,500 (2012)

On the radio & online: Sat 12md-1pm & Mon 2-3pm

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach down 6,000 listeners – real decline.

• 2013 ytd: 36% of listeners are 25-54, 63% are 55+. 57% are females 10+.

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /science show website currently up by 5,500.

2012 2013 ytd


89,800 (2012)

2010

2012 2013 ytd

93,500 (2013 ytd)

On the radio & online: Mon 5.30-6pm & Tues 5.30-6am

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach up 8,000 listeners - no real increase in audience.

• 2013 ytd: 39% of listeners are 25-54 & 61% are 55+. 55% are females 10+.

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /healthreport website currently up by 8,500.


125,500 (2013 ytd)

112,300 (2012)

On the radio & online: Sunday 5-5.30pm & Mon 1-1.30pm

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach up by 7,000 listeners - slight real growth. Back to 2011 level.


• 2013 ytd: Highest reach (%) in Mel (0.9%), lowest Adel (0.4%).

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /allinthemind website currently up 1,700.

2012 2013 ytd


2012 2013 ytd

53,000 (2013 ytd)

54,900 (2012)

On the radio & online: Sunday 7.45-8am

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach up by 26,000 listeners - real growth. Back to 2011 level.


• 2013 ytd: Highest reach (%) in Mel (0.8%), lowest Perth (0.5%).

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. monthly visits to /ockhamsrazor website currently up by just under 4,000.


7,300 (2013 ytd)

6,900 (2012)

On the radio & online: Sat 1.30-2pm & Sun 6.30-7am

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach up 8,000 listeners - no real growth.


• 2013 ytd: Highest reach (%) in Adel (0.9%).

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /offtrack website currently down 300.

2012 2013 ytd


35,300 (2013 ytd)

29,400 (2012)

On the radio & online: Sun 11.30am-12noon & Sat 5.30-6am

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach down 9,000 listeners - slight real decline. Down on 2011.


• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /futuretense website up by just under 9,000.

2012

2013 ytd


273,500 (2013 ytd)

On the radio & online: Thursday 11am-12noon

• 2012 to 2013: Ave. weekly reach up 8,000 listeners - real increase.

• 2013 ytd: 76% of listeners are 18-39, 23% are 40+. 63% males 10+.

• 2013 ytd: Highest reach (%) in Perth (2.7%), lowest Syd (1.3%).

• 2012 to 2013: Average monthly visits to /drkarl site currently steady.

2012 2013 ytd 2011

301,700 (2012)

Source: Nielsen - All Radio data is 5 City Metro, Ppl 10+ (No Survey 1 in 2011 due to the Brisbane floods). Webtrends data is to June 2013. Note: Monthly Ave Podcasts includes all Dr Karl podcasts

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Source: Webtrends 21

ABC Science Podcasts

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Average Visitors per day /science

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

Source: Webtrends 23

Monthly Visits /science

Jan 2012-June 2013

24

Top 10 pages /science

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Which search phrases drove the most traffic to ABC Science Online?

Jan-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Visits from referring domains /science

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Visits by Country /science

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

28

Top stories by Country /science

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Top Facebook posts, ABC Science, Jan-June 2013

Source: Webtrends, ranked by Engaged Users: Unique users who have clicked anywhere on your post.

Source: Webtrends, ranked by Total Engagements: Sum of Retweets & Replies 30

Top tweets, ABC Science

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Average Visitors per day /health

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

32

Monthly Visits /health

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Top 10 pages /health

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Which search phrases drove the most traffic to ABC Health & Wellbeing Online?

Source: Webtrends

Jan-June 2013

35

Top Facebook posts, ABC Health & Wellbeing, Jan-June 2013 Jan-June 2013


36 Source: Webtrends, ranked by Total Engagements: Sum of Retweets & Replies

Top tweets, ABC Health & Wellbeing

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Monthly Visits /technology

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

38

Top 10 pages /technology Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends, only /technology pages included

39

Monthly Visits /environment

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

40

Top 10 pages /environment Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Rural Homepage & top science related pages /rural

Jan-May 2013

Source: Webtrends. Data for June 2013 not included due to updates made to the URL structure which affected data collection

Catalyst: Case study

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Catalyst is a program that sees science as a dynamic force changing our world. Each week Catalyst brings you stories from Australia and around the world. Our passion to meet scientists at the forefront of discovery is matched by our fascination with science breakthroughs however big or small. Science changes all our lives. For better or worse, we are committed to showing you what our future holds

Catalyst is ABC1’s regular dedicated science program.

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918 883 767 768 845 748 649 565 665

16.916.2

13.7 13.9

15.5

13.8

11.3

9.4

11.5

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0

16.0

18.0

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

2004 (41 Eps)

2005 (40 Eps)

2006 (35 Eps)

2007 (39 Eps)

2008(40 Eps)

2009 (32 Eps)

2010(31 Eps)

2011(32 Eps)

2012(25 Eps)

Thou

sand

s

CatalystABC1, Thursday 8pm

5-City MetroAverage Audience & Total TV Share %

Ave Audience

Total TV Share %

• Launched in 2006, Catalyst is broadcast Thursday nights at 8pm on ABC1. • In 2012, Catalyst reached an average of 1.2 million first-run viewers each week (combined Metro +

Regional). • The chart below demonstrates 5 city metro average audience and Total TV share for the series since 2006.

Source: OzTAM & RegionalTAM consolidated data 2006-2012; reach based on 5 minutes consecutive viewing

•In 2012, viewing was evenly balanced between

Men & Women

•The majority of viewers (89%) were aged 40+

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• In 2012, Catalyst recorded a total of 254,000 plays of full episodes via ABC iview, averaging 10,000 plays

per episode.

• Of the total iview plays, 66% were viewed via the iview website, 21% were viewed via iOS (iPads, iPhones,

iPods) and 6% were viewed via Sony Bravia TVs.

• The top episodes viewed via iview include:

– Ep 1 (Psychopath in the Family; Antarctic Broadband; Universal Motion Simulator) – Ep 5 (The Trouble with Sex) – Ep 13 (Mobile Phone Risks; Mars Curiosity; Sitting is Deadly; Coffee Spill) – Ep 25 (Taking Our Temperature).

Catalyst Website

• In 2012, the Catalyst website was the 5th most visited ABC TV program website.

• abc.net.au/catalyst recorded 774,000 visits and 2.3 million page views in 2012 (excluding the blog). This

represents a 46% increase in visits and a 36% increase in page views from 2011 (Feb-Sept).

• In 2012, there were 123,000 streams of Catalyst segments via the program website.

Source: Webtrends 2012 45

46

Monthly Visits /catalyst (ABC TV Science)

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends

47

Top 10 pages /catalyst (ABC TV Science)

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

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Top Facebook posts, ABC Catalyst, Jan-June 2013


Science Education

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• Made specifically for a school aged audience, Children's science programming is often animated and approaches the topic with a lighter tone.

• Programs based on Animals feature prominently among the top science programs on ABC3. • There is a high rate of repeat for children's programs – so there are fewer science programs,

repeated more often.

In 2013 to date, ABC3 has broadcast approximately 320 hours of children's science related content.

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Science Education Programs on ABC1

Note that ratings are below our reporting threshold as only in-home viewing is included in the ratings data. Viewing in schools is not captured. Source: OzTAM 5 City Metro Consolidated data, Total People (wks 1-30 13)

ABC1 broadcasts educational science programming as part of The ABC Schools Television Service. This service covers programming suitable for lower primary to upper secondary school students and is broadcast on ABC1 from 10am-11am weekdays. Note that viewing in schools is not captured in the ratings data.

In 2012, ABC1 broadcast approx 100 hours of educational science

content

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52

Monthly Visits /btn

Jan 2012-June 2013

Source: Webtrends. Note – School holiday periods: End Mar-22 Apr, End Jun-Mid Jul, End Sep-Early Oct, End Dec-End Jan

Science Education Programs on ABC Online

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BTN Homepage & top science related pages /btn

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends

ABC Education Site Monthly Visits

splash.abc.net.au Jan-June 2013

Source: Webtrends. Note – School holiday periods: End Mar-22 Apr, End Jun-Mid Jul, End Sep-Early Oct, End Dec-End Jan 54

55

Splash Homepage & top science related pages splash.abc.net.au

Jan-Jun 2013

Source: Webtrends. *The user login page results in a small percentage of page refreshes to the Splash – Homepage

ABC Education Site

Science Education Programs on Free-to-air TV

*Excluding ABC Channels Source: OzTAM 5 City Metro Consolidated data, Total People (wks 1-52, 2012)

Broadcast on Channel Ten, Scope is half an hour of fast, funny and informative scientific entertainment for children aged 8-14 years.

• Total People average audience of 182,000 (36 eps in 2012)

In 2012 there was approximately 280 hours of educational science content for children broadcast across the FTA channels (including digital channels)*

The most watched programs were:

Broadcast on Channel Ten, Totally Wild brings you the latest in action, adventure and wildlife from Australia and around the world. • Total People average audience of 172,000 (159 eps)

Broadcast on GO!, Brainiacs brings science to your living room. •Total People average audience of 36,000 (31 eps in 2012)

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Science ON FREE-TO-AIR TV

Science related programs on the free-to-air networks often fuse

educational content with an entertainment tone.

Programs from all genres are represented, however ‘Being Human’, ‘Health & Medical’ and ‘Environment & Nature’ categories feature prominently.

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SEVEN 2013 ytd: Top 20 Sciences Programs

This year to date, the top ranked science programs on Seven are from the following genres:

•Health & Medical •Environment & Nature •Energy & Transport


Source: OzTAM 5 City Metro Consolidated data, Total People (wks 1-30 2013) 58

NINE 2013 ytd: Top 20 Science Programs

This year to date, the top ranked science programs on Nine are from the following genres:

•Energy & Transport •Environment & Nature

Programs in bold are Australian; Audiences under 30,000 should be used with caution


TEN 2013 ytd: Top 20 Sciences Programs

‘Environment & Nature’ proved to be popular science content on Ten, with David Attenborough and Totally Australia documentaries dominating the rankings.



SBS ONE 2013 ytd: Top 20 Sciences Programs

A wide variety of documentaries featured on SBS One in 2013 to date, covering the range of science genres, from ‘Health & Medical’ and ‘Ancient Worlds’, to ‘Environment & Nature’.



Free-to-Air Digital Channels 2013 ytd: Top 20 Sciences Programs

Science Programming on the FTA digital channels often take a lighter approach to the subject matter, merging science content with light entertainment.



Science ON Pay TV

63

Essentials Package - $47 per month

Documentary and Adventure Package

Drama and Lifestyle Package

Kids and Music Package

3 packs: $25 per month 2 packs: $20 per month 1 pack: $15 per month

• 31% of Households in the 5 metro cities have Pay TV in 2013*.

• The science channels on Pay TV reach an average of 1.7 million people each week

in 2013 ytd, or 10.7% of the metro population. This is steady with 2012.

*based on Q3 2013 Universal Estimates; Source OzTAM metro data. Reach based on 5 minutes consecutive data 65

Average Weekly Reach

• 4.3% of Metro population (4.2% in 2012) • 5% of Ppl 50+ and 5.4% of Men

Top Programs

• The 80s: Lift Off (22,000) • Aryan Brotherhood (21,000) • Taboo: Extreme Bodies (21,000) • Secret History of UFOs (18,000) • Alien Invasion (17,000)

Mel 4.1% Bris

4.6%

SYD 4.7% Ade

3.2% Per

3.7%

Ave Weekly Reach

Source: OzTAM metro consolidated data, Wks 1-30 2013

National Geographic

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• 1.9% of Metro population (2% in 2012) • 2.4% of Ppl 50+ and 2.2% of Men

Mel 1.7% Bris

2.1%

SYD 2.2% Ade

1.5% Per

1.6%

Ave Weekly Reach

Nat Geo WILD

Top Programs

• Wet and Wild: Orca: Killing School (13,000) • Big Cat Week: Cheetah: Fatal Instinct (12,000) • Croc Ganglands (10,000) • Big Cat Week: American Tiger (9,000) • Alien Crab (8,000)

Source: OzTAM metro consolidated data, Wks 1-30 2013 67


• 4.6% of Metro population (4.7% in 2012) • 4.7% of Ppl 0-49and 5.6% of Men

Top Programs

• Oprah Winfrey and Lance Armstrong (62,000) • Live: Skywire Live with Nik Wallenda (26,000) • Dirty Jobs Down Under (25,000) • Alien Invasion: Are We Ready? (20,000) • Deadliest Catch: The Bait (16,000)

Mel 4.3% Bris

5.4%

SYD 5% Ade

3.6% Per 4%

Ave Weekly Reach

Discovery Channel



• 1.8% of Metro population (1.7% in 2012) • 2% of Ppl 50+ and 2.3% of Men

Top Programs

• Oprah Winfrey and Lance Armstrong (6,000) • Bermuda Triangle Exposed (6,000) • One Step Beyond (5,000) • How the Universe Works (5,000) • How it’s Made (4,000)

Mel 1.8% Bris

2.2%

SYD 1.8% Ade

1.6% Per

1.2%

Ave Weekly Reach

Discovery Science



• 3.4% of Metro population (3.3% in 2012) • 4.2% of Ppl 50+ and 4% of Men

Top Programs

• Top Gear: Africa Special Part 2 (24,000) • Orbit: Earth’s Extraordinary (23,000) • Uncovered: Inside Facebook (23,000) • Top Gear: Africa Special Part 1 (21,000) • Stephen Fry’s Greatest Gadgets (19,000)

Mel 3.2% Bris

3.4%

SYD 3.9% Ade

2.9% Per

2.8%

Ave Weekly Reach

BBC Knowledge



• 1.5% of Metro population (1.3% in 2012) • 1.7% of Ppl 0-49 and 2.1% of Women

Top Programs

• Oprah Winfrey and Lance Armstrong (14,000) • Medical Anomalies (7,000) • 600 Pound Mom (5,000) • One Too Many (4,000) • Growing Up Tiny: Kenadie’s Next Chapter (4,000)

Mel 1.4% Bris

1.3%

SYD 1.9% Ade

1.4% Per

0.9%

Ave Weekly Reach

Home & Health



• 1.6% of Metro population (1.9% in 2012) • 1.9% of Ppl 50+ and 1.7% of Women

Top Programs

• Finding Bigfoot: Secrets of the Search (6,000) • Pet Week: America’s Cutest Dog (5,000) • Pet Week: World’s Cutest (4,000) • Mermaids: The Body Found (4,000) • Pet Week: Too Cute (4,000)

Mel 1.4% Bris

1.7%

SYD 1.9% Ade

1.5% Per

1.4%

Ave Weekly Reach

Animal Planet


Science Online

73

Source: Nielsen Online Ratings – Hybrid, Ppl 2+, Australia Note: Only sites with reach of 100K+ included as insufficient sample size for other science sites

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Online Average Monthly Reach (000s) & Active Reach (%)

Selected Science Websites Sep 2011–Jun 2013

75 Source: Nielsen Online Ratings – Hybrid, Ppl 2+, Australia – Profile is indicative as some age groups have very small sample

Selected Science Websites April - Jun 2013

Online Audience Profiles

Science Readership & Opinions

Australians 14+

Nielsen Consumer & Media View

76

MAGAZINES Average Issue Readership

Source: Nielsen, Consumer & Media View, S4 2013 MetroNOL 4-way. Based on 5 City metro population 14+

6%

(840,000)

In the last 12 months, People say they have read:

3%

(444,000)

2%

(219,000)

1%

(97,000)

8%

(1 million)

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NEWSPAPER SECTIONS


12% read

‘Environment’ Sections

‘Of people living in the 5 cities, what percentage read:’

16% read

‘Computing’ Sections

17% read

‘Science & Technology’ Sections

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OPINIONS


26%

‘When new technology

comes out I am usually

quick to try it’

% People who agree/strongly agree with the following statements:

53%

‘I am attracted

to new ideas’

47%

‘I try to keep up

with technology’

66%

‘Technology &

Computers make my

life easier’

76%

‘I love to use my

mind and think

about things’

64%

‘I am concerned for

the environment’

21%

‘I believe the world is

a better place now

than it was a decade

ago’

79

Science Research Science & the Media

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The ANU Poll Public Opinion About Science • The Australian National University’s ANU Poll is a regular survey of Australian public opinion on matters of national

importance. The eighth ANU Poll was published in December 2012. • Main findings:

– The poll found that Australians would prefer to hear about health issues, medical discoveries and the environment in their news bulletins.

– The poll also found that the public felt poorly informed about science, are confused about climate science, and think politicians are too easily swayed by media reaction when they should be listening to scientists.

• The chart below details the public level of interest in social topics. It shows that Australians were more interested in

news about health issues, new medical discoveries, environmental issues, new scientific discoveries and new inventions and technologies than sports news, politics or film.

Source: The Australian National University ANU Poll, Public opinion about Science, December 2010; N=1,200 respondents 81

The ANU Poll Public Opinion About Science Other key findings from the ANU Poll include: • 45% of respondents felt poorly informed about science • Australians are proud of Australian Science, with 60% believing it to be above average or the best in the

world • Australians believe that scientists, doctors, engineers, teachers, police and the military make a significant

contribution to society, but are less positive about priests, politicians and journalists. • The Australian public remains divided and unsure about climate science, both in terms of what climate

scientists think is happening with climate change, and its cause. • Australians feel that politicians do not properly consider scientific advice.

Source: The Australian National University ANU Poll, Public opinion about Science, December 2010; N=1200 respondents 82

The Pew Research Centre Scientific Achievements Less Prominent Than A Decade Ago

• In 2009, The Pew Research Centre for People & Press in collaboration with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, surveyed opinions about science among both the general public (2,000 respondents) and scientists (2,500).

• Research showed that the consensus among the general public and scientists was that the most important achievements in science relate to the advancements in medicine & health. This is compared to just 7% of the public who rate communications or computer technology as significant achievements in science.

• Both groups agreed that government investment was essential for scientific progress. • The public hold scientists in high regard when compared alongside members of other professions (with

the exception of teachers and the military which where the only groups held in higher esteem).

Source: The Pew Research Centre, Scientific Achievements Less Prominent Than a Decade Ago, July 2009

• Scientists, however, are not as complementary towards the public or towards news media:

– 85% see a lack of scientific knowledge among the public as a major problem for science. They also deem the public to have unrealistic expectations regarding the speed of scientific achievements.

– Scientists say the news media have done a poor job educating the public.

– 48% think over simplication of scientific findings is a major problem.

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Engaging the World Science Communication in Australia and New Zealand

• In May 2010, Questacon, The National Science & Technology Centre and anzSKA produced a portfolio demonstrating the strengths of Australia and New Zealand in Science Communication.

• The case studies highlight the strength of Australian & New Zealand science research & communication through:

– The power of imagination, illuminating the world with great hopes and new possibilities – Infrastructure – new technology, online engagement, exhibitions. – Engaging with the future - Fostering a culture of excellence & confidence in the fields of science,

engineering and maths & technology to encourage and inspire future generations of scientists. – Storytelling – sharing scientific history as well as new discoveries through new media avenues. – New technologies - using the internet and our world class communications structure to engage

audiences with science. – Citizen Science – encouraging scientists to speak out about their work. – Open Access Science & Reaching Out –accessibility of visitor attractions to encourage and retain

social curiosity about science (including science festivals, science week..). – Social Inclusions – to ensure equity of access to all . – Spreading the word – science journalism to promote differing opinions and robust debate. – Join the club – out of school science clubs to help children explore the world. – Research – Building a global network .

Source: anzSKA & Questacon, Engaging the World, Science Communication in Australia and New Zealand, May 2010 84

Inspiring Australia Science and the Media: From Ideas to Action • The Expert Working Group on Science and the Media is a diverse group of experts from the Research,

Entertainment, News, Magazine, New Media, Education and Science Communication sectors. • The group was established to review the state of science in the media in Australia. They developed a set of

recommendations that could help strengthen the media’s role in communicating science and ultimately increase public participation in, and engagement with, science. The report was published in March 2011.

• Key findings of the report: – The explosion in new media has created many new avenues & opportunities for science content.

Scientists are able to now play a greater role in the creation of popular science content. – New relationships between scientists and producers and editors allows for new ideas to develop -

beyond traditional media. – Whilst science is reasonably well represented in Australia’s mainstream news media, it is under

represented in general programming (including factual documentaries, drama, comedy & reality programs).

– Important scientific issues only get picked up by the media when highlighted by politicians. This can result in experts reluctant to engage in politically hot issues. Conversely, other important science issues not on the political agenda don’t get the attention they deserve.

– Science reports commissioned by government departments should be more transparent in terms of their widespread release.

– Science journalists who report on complex science issues should be provided with post/undergraduate training and professional development

– A program for school children that links breaking news to science would be extremely beneficial in terms of teaching critical evaluation.

Source: Inspiring Australia, Science and the media: From ideas to Action (Expert Working Group Report), March 2011 85

“Science is the poetry of reality” Richard Dawkins

86

Appendix

87

Webtrends • Visit: A visit is a session which starts when the visitor first views a page on the site, and ends after 30 minutes of inactivity on

the site (i.e. no more pages loaded or refreshed) • Monthly Visits: The average number of sessions per month • Visitor: Unique browser • Average Visitors per day: The total number of visitors divided by total number of days • Page Views: The number of views to each page on the site (e.g. html pages).

Facebook/twitter • New Fans: The number of people who have liked your page during selected time period. • Page Likes: The total number of people who have liked your page over its lifetime. • People Talking About This: The number of people sharing stories about your page (incl. liking, posting, sharing, commenting,

photo-tagging etc.). • Total Reach: The number of people who have the potential to see any content associated with your page. • Engagement/Engaged Users: Unique users who have clicked anywhere on your page/post.

• Tweets: The total number of tweets created from the Twitter account. • Followers: The number of other Twitter accounts following this Twitter account. • Mentions: The number of times the account Twitter was mentioned in other tweets. • Following: The number of Twitter accounts that this account is following.

Nielsen • Reach (000s): The total number of unique people (unduplicated) who visited a particular site at least once during the month • Active Reach (%): The sites’ reach as a percentage of the active online universe

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Definitions

science content & audiences - about the...

Documents