scholarly journals Learning from Mistakes in the Media to Improve the Communication of Wood Bioenergy Research

BioResources ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Brooks Mendell

Successful applied research into wood bioenergy requires communication of meaningful insights to inform decision-makers and the general public. Effective communication strategies make such insights accessible. However, recent media reports often exhibit a near total absence of findings from peer-reviewed or quantitative research, highlighting a failure to communicate between applied researchers and reporters. As a result, the general public’s understanding of wood-based bioenergy remains incomplete. At a minimum, researchers can address three common lapses when communicating results of their research related to wood-based energy to increase the public’s access to technical results. First, provide context to give policymakers a sense, on a relative basis, of the importance of a given issue. Second, properly distinguish between “causal” relationships and mere happenstance or correlations. And finally, confirm facts and conclusions. Faulty assertions can cast doubts on the broader work and body of research.

Author(s):  
Susan Law ◽  
Ilja Ormel ◽  
David Loutfi ◽  
John Lavis

Individual narratives about patient/family experiences of illness, and needs for information and support, can exert a powerful influence on policy formulation, particularly when a sensational story captures the attention of the media or general public. In this chapter, we situate the use and potential value of the narrative evidence within the messy world of policy making when trying to privilege evidence that brings diversity of voice and experiences on a topic, rather than individual stories. We explore the challenges associated with this type of experiential evidence, and the gap in translating such evidence to decision makers. We argue that both researchers and policy makers would benefit from a deeper understanding of each other’s worlds, and present examples of strategies to bridge this gap. We conclude by offering advice for policy makers regarding communication of their needs for experiential evidence, and advice for qualitative researchers regarding the translation of narrative-based findings for policy.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Leiras ◽  
M Arriaga ◽  
R Gaspar ◽  
B Raposo ◽  
S Domingos

Abstract Background During events that involve health risks, people may feel the need personal and social resources to cope with the demands posed by event. Depending on their individual characteristics, people may perceive their resources as sufficient or as insufficient to face the situation. Risk perception analysis was conducted in Portugal during the COVID-19 outbreak, to develop communication strategies, customized to the changing needs, helping people make informed decisions. Methods Citizens messages on social networks of 3 official information sources, and 8 media sources were analyzed between 26th January and 5th March 2020. A sample of comments to publications related to COVID-19 were analyzed in 4-days periods and categorized. A qualitative theory-driven thematic analysis was carried out based on two global categories: Demands and Resources. From this analysis, the threat level ratio (Demands/Resources) was calculated. Results A total of 8,251 comments were analysed in 10 periods of 4 days of data collection, from 26th January to 5th March. The threat level ratio increased during the first 15 days of analysis, having its maximum (6.80) in the period between the 7th and 14th of February, mostly associated with the perceived danger associated with the lack of airports arrivals control from China. After the announcement of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in a Portuguese citizen outside Portugal, on 23rd February, the risk perception increased 1,4% compared to the previous period of analysis. On the contrary, after announcing the first confirmed case in Portugal, on the 1st March, the risk perception decreased 1,6%, which is inferred to be associated with a shift in the media discourse and to the use of humour. Conclusions Awareness of risks is a necessary condition for people to adhere to the necessary recommendations to mitigate the crisis. During an epidemic, an effective communication strategy can become an opportunity to promote health literacy. Key messages Risk perception is essential to define effective communication strategies to promote health literacy and best practices among targeted populations. effective communication strategies customized to people’s needs and priorities help people making informed decisions during a public health emergency.


Author(s):  
Mario Pérez-Montoro

In the pandemic generated by the coronavirus, governments and the media were suddenly faced with the difficult challenge of communicating about this issue with the population and transferring technical concepts and large volumes of data to the general public. It was necessary to find a way to make this unfamiliar content accessible to everyone, using known and assimilable formulas. In this context, the strategy chosen to make this communication more efficient was clear: transmit all this vital information through the visual representation of data. In this work we analyze the problems associated with the data involved in these visualizations and review a selection of good and bad practices used in these communication strategies. Resumen Frente a la pandemia generada por el coronavirus, los gobiernos y los medios se encontraron de repente con el difícil reto de comunicar sobre este tema con la población y trasladar al gran público conceptos técnicos y grandes volúmenes de datos. Había que buscar una manera de hacer accesibles esos contenidos no familiares para todos, a través de fórmulas conocidas y asimilables. En ese contexto, la estrategia elegida para hacer más eficiente esa comunicación estaba clara: transmitir toda esa información vital a través de la representación visual de datos. En este trabajo analizamos los problemas asociados con los datos involucrados en esas visualizaciones y revisamos una selección de buenas y malas prácticas utilizadas en esas estrategias comunicativas.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-114
Author(s):  
James Kimani Kuria

The study sought to analyse the efficiency of Farm Concern International’s Communication strategies in promoting the commercialisation of African Indigenous Vegetables in Lari Sub-County, Kenya. Qualitative and quantitative research designs were adopted for the study and purposive sampling, followed by random sampling used to select 100 farmers from the five villages in Lari Sub County. The data was gathered from the primary source through the use of structured questionnaire for both quantitative and qualitative. The data was then processed and presented by the use of graphs, tables and pie charts and analysed by use of descriptive analysis. The study used two theories, Rational Argumentation Theory propounded by Cragan and Shields (1998) and Trans theoretical Model (TM) by Prochaska, Johnson and Lee (1998). The study established that the rate of commercialisation is currently high, with the majority of farmers earning between sh. 5, 000 to sh. 15, 000 per month. Majority of farmers sold AIVs to Uchumi Supermarket. The findings also indicated that FCI majorly used two forms of Ora-Media, barazas and demonstrations, to promote production, consumption and commercialisation of AIVs. However, a bit of Use of projector was also used, but no form of mainstream media or internet and drama was used. The study recommends that NGOs should liaise with financial institutions to train farmers on financial literacy and facilitate them to make savings to enhance production. Also, there is a need for more campaign by NGOs and other gatekeepers like the media, government leaders and local leaders to enhance increased production of AIVs.


Author(s):  
Hasan Turgut

In today's world, it's impossible to think about social movements apart from the media, and it has become an obligation out of necessity to set alternative media channels in terms of social movements. The new media and social media networks have been used actively in the process of setting aforementioned alternative media channels. The use of alternative media as a means of criticism and resistance becomes possible with these media networks when they are used with effective communication strategies and techniques. Transmedia storytelling is the leading one among these effective communication strategies. Based on this assertion, in this study, how transmedia storytelling was used as a political advertising activity by the social movements will be analyzed through the example of Gezi Park protests that took place in Turkey in 2013.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 392-401
Author(s):  
T. R. Birkhead ◽  
G. Axon ◽  
J. R. Middleton

Most of the approximately 75 known eggs of the extinct great auk ( Pinguinus impennis) are in public museums, with a few in private collections. A small number of these eggs has sustained damage, either at the time of collection or subsequently, and two of these eggs are known to have been repaired. The two eggs suffered rather different types of damage and were subsequently restored using different techniques. The first, known as Bourman Labrey's egg, sustained extensive damage sometime prior to the 1840s, when the shell was broken into numerous pieces. This egg was repaired by William Yarrell in the 1840s, and when it was restored again in 2018, it was discovered that Yarrell's restoration had involved the use of an elaborate cardboard armature. This egg is currently in a private collection. The second egg, known as the Scarborough egg, bequeathed to the Scarborough Museum in 1877, was damaged (by unknown causes) and repaired, probably by the then curator at Scarborough, W. J. Clarke, in 1906. This egg was damaged when one or more pieces were broken adjacent to the blowhole at the narrow end (where there was some pre-existing damage). The media reports at the time exaggerated the extent of the damage, suggesting that the egg was broken almost in two. Possible reasons for this exaggeration are discussed. Recent examination using a black light and ultraviolet (UV) revealed that the eggshell had once borne the words, “a Penguin's Egg”, that were subsequently removed by scraping.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (4(13)) ◽  
pp. 51-60
Author(s):  
Ksenia Olegovna NEVMERZHITSKAYA ◽  

The media influence politics by providing intelligence and arena for political statements. Therefore, the danger of spreading false information and deliberate disinformation can have serious consequences. It is impossible to accuse specific media outlets of unfair coverage, but one cannot fail to note the existing resonance in media reports from different countries. Interpretations of the same events are radically different, while a journalist must rely on facts. The world is faced with the problem of global misunderstanding and information discord. Modern international broadcasting plays an important role in shaping the picture of the event for the world community. It is impossible to deny that the information agenda of many foreign broadcast media depends to some extent on a number of reasons: nationality, foreign policy of his state, profitability. Otherwise, the global media would not contradict each other. We want to track how modern foreign broadcasting builds its agenda and what principles it is guided by. Keywords: Broadcasting, media, Media agenda


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