This article examines the current state of science coverage in German print media. It deals with the following questions: (1) how the main characteristics of science journalism can be described, (2) whether there is a difference between various scientific fields, and (3) how different definitions of science journalism lead to differing findings. Two forms of science coverage were analyzed in a standardized, two-part content analysis of German newspapers (N = 1730 and N = 1640). The results show a significant difference between a narrow and a broad definition of science journalism. In the classic understanding, science journalism is prompted by scientific events and is rather noncritical. Science coverage in a broad sense is defined by a wider range of journalistic styles, driven by non-scientific events, and with a focus on the statements of scientific experts. Furthermore, the study describes the specific role of the humanities and social sciences in German science coverage.
This article researches the medialization of research policy in Germany. The concept of medialization focuses on adaptation processes by the micro (individuals), meso (organizations), and macro levels (social systems) of society to the logic of (mostly journalistic) mass media. Below, the focus lies on how decision makers in the field of research policy perceive the journalistic logic as well as adaptation processes to this logic in their fields of expertise and their organizations. The study is based on 35 semistandardized interviews with stakeholders in organizations from politics, science, and research funding.
Zusammenfassung: Dieser Beitrag präsentiert den theoretischen Hintergrund, das analytische Konzept und das Forschungsdesign eines Projektes über die Governance wissenschaftlicher Forschung in medialisierten Konstellationen. Die Studie konzentriert sich dabei auf die Rolle von Massenkommunikation in der deutschen Forschungspolitik. Die forschungsleitenden Fragen sind: Wie beobachten sich Politik und Forschung gegenseitig über Massenmedien? Welche Einflüsse hat diese wechselseitige Beobachtung? Und wie unterscheiden sich hierbei die Fachkulturen Geistes-und Sozialwissenschaften, Lebenswissenschaften, Naturwissenschaften und Ingenieurwissenschaften? Bezogen auf diese Fragen entwickeln wir ein Theoriekonzept das "Governance" als Modus inter-systemischer Interaktion begreift, welcher sowohl von Dynamiken auf der Ebene individueller und kollektiver Akteure als auch von sozialen Strukturen geprägt wird und außerdem davon ausgeht, dass diese Governance-Konstellation medialisiert ist. Hierauf aufbauend diskutieren wir unser analytisches Konzept und stellen kurz das Forschungsdesign der Studie dar.
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