Information and the Industry: Journalists in the Midst of the Battle

Abstract

This reflection critically examines the relationship between businesses—understood not as a cog in the economic wheel but as producers of science and disseminators of scientific knowledge—and scientific information considered a public good. It pays special attention to the role of journalists who report on science in the media. Furthermore, it incorporates new elements into the debate about the place science journalists should hold in society, their relationship with scientists, the media, and the general audience. It also revisits a long-standing topic in journalism: the proper handling of information sources.