Journalists are increasingly using the tools of science journalism and scientific inquiry to carry out investigative reporting, and even to shine a spotlight on questionable scientific findings.
Chances are, you can think of at least one example of where a journalist (including network anchors) demonstrates they don’t really understand science or the scientific method. The COVID pandemic has afforded a plethora of pearlers that are dangerous and/or toxic. This story points to a welcome change that appears to be underway. And it can’t happen soon enough.
“You have many journalists who do data mining — digging into databases and effectively mining information – which is becoming a standard part of good investigative reporting,” Blum says. “The internet actually offers a lot of tools to vet science. When investigating a particular [chemical] compound, for instance, I use PubMed and Google Scholar to vet the science behind every question, and the credibility of sources.”