The journalistic understanding of science as process and social system: A qualitative exploration in the German science journalism community

While surveys on public understandings of science are common, little is known about how science and its processes are perceived and reported by journalists. However, knowledge about processual aspects of science is crucial when estimating the trustworthiness of experts and levels of evidence. Science journalists function not only as translators but also as critical observers of science, shaping the overall picture of science and ideally strengthening the public’s judgment. To unfold the shape of such process-oriented science journalism, we investigate the understanding of science in the German science journalism community in the aftermath of COVID-19. We find an advanced understanding of scientific processes among participants of five focus group discussions and a preceding survey. The science journalists show a high level of general trust in scientific institutions and see informing and contextualizing as their main professional tasks. Some emphasis on quantitative studies and some reservations about politicized science and certain disciplines become visible.