Here at the SMC, we love evidence. To that end, every couple of years we ask scientists and journalists for their thoughts on our work and on science in New Zealand’s media landscape at large.
Last year in 2024, hundreds of scientists (316 to be exact) and 128 journalists generously took time out of their busy schedules to complete our survey. Journalists told us the SMC is making a difference – 93% of media professionals agreed the SMC makes it easier for them to cover a broader range of science-related issues, and 97% said the SMC is useful to New Zealand media.
Researchers’ experiences with the media were overwhelmingly positive when initiated by the SMC. Over three-quarters (86%) who contributed to expert reactions said the process made it easy to connect with media, and 93% rated their subsequent interactions with the media as positive. Meanwhile, almost all researchers (93%) who participated in a Science Media SAVVY workshop rated their experiences interacting with the media after the workshop as positive.
Almost 90% of both groups saw the SMC as independent.
SMC New Zealand director Dacia Herbulock said it was incredibly gratifying to see such strong support for the Science Media Centre’s work at a time when both researchers and media are under enormous pressure.
“It underlines the value of the SMC’s sustained efforts to build trust and reduce barriers between journalists and scientists, for the greater benefit of the communities they serve,” she said.
The evaluation project is part of a wider research collaboration with the School of Science in Society at Victoria University of Wellington.