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O papel dos comunicados de imprensa no sensacionalismo em notícias de ciência
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Associamos a ciência à precisão, mas com alguma frequência encontramos exagero e sensacionalismo nas
notícias sobre ciência. A origem deste fenómeno é frequentemente atribuída aos jornalistas e aos órgãos de
comunicação social. No entanto, como indicam vários estudos realizados, os exageros e o sensacionalismo
podem ter também origem na própria academia, através de artigos científicos e de comunicados de
imprensa divulgados pelas instituições científicas.
Os comunicados de imprensa são atualmente amplamente utilizados pelas instituições científicas para
divulgar informação e a sua utilização e utilidade é praticamente inquestionável.
Tendo como ponto de partida para esta dissertação um comunicado de imprensa recebido durante o meu
estágio na secção de ciência do jornal Público, neste trabalho abordo a questão da origem dos exageros e do
sensacionalismo nas notícias de ciência e do possível papel desempenhado pelos comunicados de imprensa
neste processo. Através de entrevistas com os principais intervenientes — cientistas, press officers e
jornalistas — procuro obter uma visão "por dentro" sobre estas questões.
As entrevistas confirmam o papel fundamental (e delicado) que os comunicados de imprensa têm na
comunicação entre a academia e os media e também na própria construção das notícias. Embora
fundamentais, podem também originar problemas. Nas entrevistas identifiquei duas formas possíveis de os
comunicados contribuírem para o sensacionalismo e para outros problemas em notícias de ciência: uma,
quando o comunicado apresenta falhas ou erros que conduzem a problemas nas notícias, e outra quando ele
próprio é exagerado. O exagero no comunicado pode ter origem no próprio comunicado ou mais a montante cientistas parecem desejar que o seu trabalho capte a atenção dos órgãos de comunicação social, por outro
lado temem erros e os exageros que possam ser cometidos pelos jornalistas. Os press officers ao mediarem
as relações entre uns e outros enfrentam algumas dificuldades desse equilíbrio entre os vários interesses
presentes. Todos reconhecem a existência de uma linha frágil entre a necessária valorização do trabalho e o
exagero menos fundamentado em que se pode cair.
Ao longo do trabalho deparei-me com algumas questões interligadas como o acesso dos jornalistas à
ciência, as relações entre os cientistas, press officers e jornalistas, e a própria utilização dos comunicados de
imprensa para comunicar ciência.
Este trabalho propõe várias questões à nossa reflexão: Qual é a linha divisória entre captar a atenção dos
media e cair no exagero? Porque é que o discurso sobre as aplicações práticas da investigação fundamental,
usado para atrair financiamento, não é desejável na comunicação para o público? Se o sensacionalismo em
ciência é visto como negativo para os vários stakeholders — cientistas, instituições, jornalistas, escritores,
jornalistas e público—, será que o podemos evitar? E como?
We relate science with precision, but it is not uncommon to find exaggeration and hype in science news. Frequently the responsibility for this is attributed to the journalists and to the news outlets, but several studies have found that exaggeration and hype can be originated in the academia itself through scientific papers or press releases. This work was motivated by a press release received in the science section of the daily newspaper Público during the course of my internship there. Herein I address the issue of the possible role of press releases in exaggeration and hype in science news. Press releases are widely used by scientific institutions and their use almost unquestioned. Through interviews with the main participants in the build up of the science news — scientists, press officers and journalists — I try to obtain their view about these issues and the problems associated with it. The interviews confirm the fundamental, yet delicate, role that press releases play in establishing the communication between the academia and media and in the development of the science news. Although they are important, they can give rise to problems as well. In the interviews, I identified two possible ways by which press releases can contribute to hype and other problems in science news: when the document itself is not clear, has flaws or mistakes; and when it is an exaggerated or sensationalist document. When there is exaggeration in a press release it can have its origin in its preparation, or upstream in the research papers or the research project that gave rise to it. The perspective of the different professionals also offers a general view of the path that a scientific discovery takes until it reaches the news outlets in Portugal. The interviews reveal some motivations for scientists and institutions to contact with the media. Scientists on the one hand seem to wish their research to attract media attention, but on the other hand they fear that journalists might misunderstand or make While addressing those issues I came across other related questions such as access of journalists to science; the relationships established between scientists, press officers and journalists; and the use of press releases to communicate science. Several questions are raised by this work: where lies the red line between attracting media attention and fall into exaggeration? Why are future potential applications suited to apply for funding but are not for communicating with the general public? Being hype seen as negative for all the stakeholders — scientists, academic institutions, journalists, science writers, and general public—, can we actually avoid it? And how?
We relate science with precision, but it is not uncommon to find exaggeration and hype in science news. Frequently the responsibility for this is attributed to the journalists and to the news outlets, but several studies have found that exaggeration and hype can be originated in the academia itself through scientific papers or press releases. This work was motivated by a press release received in the science section of the daily newspaper Público during the course of my internship there. Herein I address the issue of the possible role of press releases in exaggeration and hype in science news. Press releases are widely used by scientific institutions and their use almost unquestioned. Through interviews with the main participants in the build up of the science news — scientists, press officers and journalists — I try to obtain their view about these issues and the problems associated with it. The interviews confirm the fundamental, yet delicate, role that press releases play in establishing the communication between the academia and media and in the development of the science news. Although they are important, they can give rise to problems as well. In the interviews, I identified two possible ways by which press releases can contribute to hype and other problems in science news: when the document itself is not clear, has flaws or mistakes; and when it is an exaggerated or sensationalist document. When there is exaggeration in a press release it can have its origin in its preparation, or upstream in the research papers or the research project that gave rise to it. The perspective of the different professionals also offers a general view of the path that a scientific discovery takes until it reaches the news outlets in Portugal. The interviews reveal some motivations for scientists and institutions to contact with the media. Scientists on the one hand seem to wish their research to attract media attention, but on the other hand they fear that journalists might misunderstand or make While addressing those issues I came across other related questions such as access of journalists to science; the relationships established between scientists, press officers and journalists; and the use of press releases to communicate science. Several questions are raised by this work: where lies the red line between attracting media attention and fall into exaggeration? Why are future potential applications suited to apply for funding but are not for communicating with the general public? Being hype seen as negative for all the stakeholders — scientists, academic institutions, journalists, science writers, and general public—, can we actually avoid it? And how?
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Jornalismo de ciência Comunicado de Imprensa Sensasionalismo Hype Sensacionalismo Press release Science journalism Science news Sensationalism