Who Are Science and Health Journalists?

This chapter provides an overview of who reports science and health news. Journalists perceive different roles for themselves, as do the community members they serve. How journalists fulfil these roles, and community perceptions, can vary between contexts, as this chapter describes. The purpose and function of science and health reporting can also come with ethical implications, particularly with changes in the news production process. This chapter examines the people, processes and potential areas worthy of future exploration in science and health reporting to better understand the relationships and functions between research, media and society.