SEE Ministerial Round Table and Expert meeting – Sarajevo, 22-23 November 2012

1. UNESCO Science Policy Ministerial Meeting 2012
Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
22-23 November 2012
Challenges regarding science communication in the Turkish media
E. Barış Altıntaş, Today’s Zaman correspondent
For those who are interested and want to learn more about science, the communication
of science in Turkey takes place through popular science publications of the
Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Academy (TÜBİTAK) and other
scientific journals.
The sales figures for TÜBİTAK publications are encouraging (45,000 monthly sales for the main
publication Bilim Teknik 20,000 clicks a day and more than 12,500,000 popular science books),
and about five or six other popular science magazines published by private companies. Their
sales differ but NTV Bilim (15,000) which was published by the Doğus Group shut down last
year due to low profits. They also have a history journal called NTV Tarih which sells about
38,000 monthly according to the average figure from 2011. NTV, the news network, also
broadcasts science shows.
International documentary networks such as National Geographic or the Discovery Channel
are also widely available for TV viewers, with subtitles or in Turkish. These stations must
have an influence on contributing to overall science literacy, however no data or even
discussion as to their effects are available.
For the general public not necessarily interested in following science magazines, science is
usually communicated through the general media. This is highly problematic because not a
single Turkish newspaper has a science section (although three have supplements) or science
reporters. Research in the field is limited, but Ankara University researcher Çiler Dursun, who
led a TÜBİTAK supported research program on science journalism in Turkey, has
complained that the media has been mostly uninterested in science journalism programs
carried out by the academia. Well-known media figures of major newspapers show no interest
in science journalism as a topic, nor do they see it as a field to develop themselves or their
reporters.
(**In response to a query earlier I made earlier this year (March 2012), the World
Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ), shared its records regarding the rate of
participation from Turkey in an online science journalism program. According to the data
sorted by WFSJ’s IT staff based on IP numbers, Turkey had the highest rate of participation
in this program. However, I could not find any journalists who took the course. It later
became evident, upon talking to Ms. Dursun, that participation was required or supported in
science journalism programs in the Ankara University’s Communications department. The
owners of those IPs were all students. As such, the mystery was solved.)

2. How is science covered?
As a general rule, science related news stories usually are included in the last page to fill up
space, or to promote a product. In fact, research conducted by İrfan Erdoğan – the most
extensive study so far -- in 2007 indicates that editors do not give much thought to the issue, if
any at all.
According to Erdoğan’s findings, editors in Turkish newspapers rarely think about
“communicating science” to masses. Even if they think about it, they don’t want to have
special science sections as some newspapers in the West have.
However, scientific information that is in free circulation always appears in newspapers.
Every newspaper includes this sort of information – sometimes for the purposes of marketing
or promoting a product – whether knowingly or not. Advertorials are increasingly more
frequent in newspapers. Science communication in this way usually comes in the form of a
mixture of myth and fact.
Of 35 newspapers (including local and national) only three (8.6 percent) have science
supplements. Two of these are concentrated on “science and technology” and the third one is
a health supplement. But the content quality of these supplements is not very different from
the general newspapers, and they are also replete with advertisements.
Erdoğan’s research has found that newspapers include science related news only when there is
a story that editors deem to be interesting. When something internationally important happens
(such as the experiment at CERN, the discovery of the Higgs boson, or Turkey’s organ
transplants) they will include it. They will also allocate space for science when there is not
much going on in politics, according to editor responses.
Why not include science?
Editors cite lack of science literacy among their staff; lack of a separate science department;
lack of reader interest; and not enough space as other political or social events take up much
of the newspaper as the chief factors to exclude science stories. Local publications usually say
most science related topics are not relevant to their specific regional readership. Does this
mean that the media in Turkey doesn’t see the right to scientific information as a fundamental
right? Possible, given the low interest shown by the established media in science journalism
programs. Similarly, media organizations, such as the Medya Derneği (Media Association),
which offer training on democracy, ethics or media professionalism, do not include science
journalism in training programs.
It is natural then -- since editors do not usually see it as the media’s responsibility to inform
readers about scientific developments -- that the content of scientific coverage is not up to
scratch. In most cases, researchers in the area have pointed out, science related stories are
chosen based on very different motives, such as protecting the interests of a special group.
Media structure as an obstacle to free science reporting

3. Mainstream newspapers, televisions and radio stations in Turkey are owned by groups that are
very active in many sectors from energy to health or automobiles, petroleum and gas. This has
serious consequences for the communication of science. Almost all science related stories
protect the interests of some dominant group or industry.
This is not likely to change soon, because reporters and journalists in the mainstream media
don’t bring this up for discussion. Experience indicates that a science or environment related
story that runs against the interests of a particular industry will be omitted.
Group interests and quality
The content of science related stories in the media produces myths/untruths about how serious
diseases can be treated (in the form of medical news) or markets a product. Sensational topics
are also chosen by editors. An example could be a story from Radikal in 2008
when Turkey banned smoking in closed spaces, which was found very controversial at the
time. The story had the headline “Hitler also banned smoking,” and did not include any facts
and figures about tobacco related deaths, simply presenting the development as a
freedoms/rights issue.
Health is indisputably the most covered science-related field in the Turkish media. According
to Erdoğan’s study, 59.3 percent of all science related stories that appeared in local
newspapers were about health news (among 112 newspapers). This was followed by 10.1
percent of science content associated with religion, 5.2 percent technological inventions, 4.7
percent environment and 4.1 percent history. The rest was made up of computers, education,
science conferences, medicine, agriculture and sociology. The percentage of health
related science news included in the three main newspapers, over the past six months, 95.6
percent of 1034 news stories about science communication were about weight loss, dieting
and nutrition. When covering other topics editors usually chose discoveries or inventions that
would be easy to read about, and somewhat sensational. (Invention of a bionic eye, or cookies
for astronauts from butterfly powder ie.) Most health news highlights a miracle product.
Like health news, IT news usually come in the form of hidden advertising. The connections to
the industry are strong. Several studies have found that there are sharp increases in the
number of computer /technology products news in the media during the days of CEBIT (an
annual International IT and telecommunications fair). These stories mostly include the
manufacturer’s name and the web site information of the manufacturer.
Science as ideology or product
Conservative newspapers usually convey science communication under sections such as
“mother and child,” “living,” or “family.” They also include frequently stories that stress the
“scientific” aspects of Islam (such as a story on there is mention of DNA in the Koran) or
stories that claim that evolution is not real. There are stories about the benefits of fasting in
Ramadan (putting forward highly suspect claims such as it helps detoxing, or is good for
ulcers). This is a dangerous zone, for it provides for great miscommunication and
misrepresentation of science.
Headline examples for science news

4. To given an example of how science is communicated in the mainstream media, various
headlines that emphasize a sensational aspect and attempt to capture reader’s interest rather
than being informative.
Headlines for some science related stories from the Turkish press
-- We have gained three kilograms (as a nation)
-- Journey to the mysteries of the brain
-- Thought power moves robot arm
-- Traveling longest distance on minimal fuel
-- iPhone to work on solar energy
-- Female inventors stay on top
-- Cure for cancer found!
-- Margarine is good for the heart!
-- Phoenix traveled to Mars on Turkish boron
-- Robot Titan puts on a show for students
More serious topics – such as the politics of science, health and technology – are almost never
touched. Issues such as doctor/patient or patient/nurse relationship, problems with access to
health services, management of chronic illness or protective health patterns are almost never
or rarely covered. Structural relations between medicine and related industries are also never
criticized, or even mentioned, by the mainstream media. Environment related stories also
often fall victim to industry interests.
Quality of news: Sources used in science reporting
Sources used by journalists can give a good idea about the quality of science reporting in
Turkish newspapers. In this arena, the local press appears to be doing much better than the
national press. But as a general rule, both in local and national media, men of religion are
relied on extensively, and in most cases no sources are cited at all.
According to Erdoğan’s research, journalists take statements from university professors and
lecturers (55 percent), vs. 61.5 percent /nutrition/diet experts (61.5 percent) and medical
doctors (19.2 percent) for the mainstream media.
The mainstream media also relies on clerics and men of religion (9.6 percent)
in science communication. [For example, an article about the detriments of smoking or one
on environment science can quote the leader of the religious community the newspaper is
part of.]
Swiss scientists. The press often relies on this ambiguous source while reporting on science--
actually often referred to as a joke now, by many Turkish speakers. Citations such as
“According to Swedish scientists,” “Research by British scientists proves...” are very
common.
Other sources used by reports include the internet (42.7 percent), news agencies (27.2
percent) and university press releases (11.4 percent) in the local press, followed by
magazines (4.1 percent), public agencies or civil society organizations (3.8 percent),
newspapers (2.5 percent), television (2.5 percent), academic articles and bulletins (2.2.
percent), books (1.3 percent), radio (0.9 percent) and others (0.9 percent).

5. The mainstream media also relies extensively on the internet, news agencies, published
articles, radio, television and scientific conferences. The common tendency here is to prefer
stories that have been packaged into a bundle previously by someone else.
Was Turkey too late getting into science journalism business?
According to Dursun, one major reason behind most of the issues in the Turkish media
regarding science journalism is Turkey’s late start to a state programs seeking to strengthen
the ties between the public and science or to increase science literacy and create a positive
attitude towards science among the public as well as to open the formation of science and
technology policies to democratic participation.
TÜBİTAK for the first time seriously included a policy to increase awareness about scientific,
technological and innovative developments and increasing science literacy starting in 2004.
Although it has long been a publisher of popular science magazines (Bilim ve Teknik, 1967)
and books, it first seriously adopted increasing science awareness as a strategy in its National
Science and Technology Policy Strategy Document: 2003 -2023. TÜBİTAK’s foundation, in
1963 following the 1960 coup d’état was also a late step. Science production and scientific
approach only found state support in Turkey after TÜBİTAK’s establishment. Ensuring that
the general public understands science is a fairly new development in Turkey that started in
the 2000s in Turkey. Dursun also notes that the launch of various science publications by the
media has also been a late development. (Most of them in the early 2000s, Bilim ve Ütopya in
1993).
Science literacy among young people
TÜBİTAK conducted its first extensive research regarding science literacy in 2006 through a
survey where 1033 respondents aged 15-24 in 47 provinces responded to various questions.
The survey results indicated that young people in Turkey are as interested in science as their
peers in Europe. TÜBİTAK’s research also tested knowledge of scientific subjects. The rate
of correct answers was 51 percent, compared to 70 percent in Europe in the same age group.
Research on Science Journalism in Turkey
1) Çiler Dursun of Ankara University is currently leading the second phase of a major project,
supported by TÜBİTAK, on the visibility of science news in the media. The results of the
project have not yet been made public, since the second phase has not ended. The results
should be available on TÜBİTAK’s open-access system online.
For a summary of the situation by Dursun, see article
http://www.kurgu.anadolu.edu.tr/dosyalar/28.pdf (in Turkish).

6. 2) A link to the TÜBİTAK supported study on science communication conducted in 2007 by
İrfan Erdoğan can be found here: http://www.irfanerdogan.com/kitaplar/gaztclk2007book.pdf
This remains the most comprehensive study available to date (at least, of which, we have
access to its results). This link is also in Turkish.
3) Evolution remains as one of the most frequently covered science topics in Turkey, mostly
as part of Turkey’s religious – secular debate. A highly detailed analysis of a study spanning a
lengthy period in which six newspapers of different religious leanings were examined is
available in English.
(http://www.academia.edu/239640/Representations_of_Evolutionary_Theory_in_Turkish_Pre
ss_Media) The researchers are Gülseren Adaklı, Murat Gülsaçan and Ömer Gökçümen.