Statistical and media truths
- Science is suspicious of unexpected findings
- News seek attention
- News consumer has hunter's fears
- Interpretation of public data involves risks
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News seek attention
Galtung and Ruge's classic list of the criteria of newsworthiness includes such things as negativity, prominence, unambiguity and unexpectednesss, which are clearly in conflict with the criteria set for science and statistics.
The differences in approach are further highlighted by the logic behind the presentation of news in the electronic media and the tabloids – a logic that stresses striking, simple, eye-catching presentation. One seldom sees a news story about a "small, poorly planned study which has produced evidence that x may cause cancer". The media tend to cut corners: "According to research, x causes cancer."
Editors compete for the public's attention and they are usually reluctant to leave the results of research unpublished simply because an expert has pronounced the research methodology unsatisfactory.
For some time I assisted a certain news team by assessing the reliability of statistical surveys presented to them. My own attitude was in itself a problem: it seemed audacious to say that a study published with great amount of fuss and noise was really not worth the publicity. It was, of course, even more difficult for the news team itself to accept this. "Why are we not publishing a story about this interesting and entertaining research, even though the neighbouring tabloid has it on their front page?" My assistantship only lasted a few months.
Päivitetty 2.11.2011