The Changing Landscape of Science Journalism in South Africa

Science journalism is a vital component of informing the public about scientific advancements and discoveries. However, today’s changing media landscape has resulted in a significant challenge for science journalism. Economic pressures have led to a reduction in resources available for news reporting, and the rise of corporate communication and public relations (PR) has seen institutional science communication become a booming industry, bypassing the traditional roles of journalists.

To better understand how science journalists are navigating these changes, researchers from Stellenbosch University and City University of London conducted a study partly funded by the NRF. The study involved in-depth interviews with 20 South African science journalists.