Science for Everybody? How the Coverage of Research Issues in German Newspapers Has Increased Dramatically

Abstract

Whereas in other countries experts diagnose a “crisis” of science reporting, Germany has seen an unprecedented boom in science journalism. But is this boom limited to science sections themselves, or does it spread also into other sections? And how does this increase in coverage influence the kind of reporting itself? Analysis of 4,077 articles in three nationwide newspapers in two periods (2003–2004 and 2006–2007) indicates an overall increase of science reporting by 48%; outside the science sections of the newspapers the increase is by 136%.