Word is out that CNN is eliminating its seven-person unit covering science, the environment, and technology. Did the executives that made this decision look back at the numbers for the past two years and think, “Looks like our most-watched segments were on the election, so let’s only cover elections from now on!”?
CNN is firing science correspondent Miles O'Brien
But seriously, the root of the problem is that science news does not sell like kidnapped babies news, celebrity news, or holy-crap-the-economy-is-melting news. Journalism is a for-profit business, not a for-the-good-of-the-people business.
I wonder if there is any (scientific) link between a country’s interest in science news and its performance in science and math education?
We often hear how poorly the US performs in science and math education. Is this soft education for youngsters responsible for producing science-illiterate adults? Or is the general distribution of news coverage quite similar across the world, regardless of the prowess of a country’s science education?
I would love to hear more on this, so comment if you have any ideas.
