Column by Anders Bjarklev, President at DTU. Published in Frederiksborg Amts Avis and at sn.dk on 15 July 2022.
A ‘journalist’ named Ellen, a camera crew from the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR), and a young audience as primary target group. These were the parties with whom researchers agreed to interact when they accepted to participate in an interview ‘with satirical elements’ in the DR programme ‘Ellen Imellem’. However, what none of them knew was that they were—in fact—interacting with a conspiratorial person who—during a lengthy interview—asked critical questions via Ellen’s earpiece, which she quite uncritically repeated.
This somewhat unconventional interview setup has made scientists and media take to the trenches. On the one hand, the researchers are accusing DR of misleading the experts and spreading conspiratorial views to a young, impressionable audience. On the other hand, DR refuses to apologize for anything and defends itself by arguing that the programme is satire. It is “just for fun”!
I will not sit in judgment of whether the programmes are funny or not. In fact, I am not part of the target audience. However, I can ascertain that the effect that the programmes have had on the overall research community is not funny at all.
If DR finds it necessary to create false premises and pass on unsubstantiated claims to get young viewers interested in science, we have a problem. And when large parts of the scientific world consequently lose trust in the media to such an extent that I encounter scientists who no longer want to be interviewed by DR, then we have a big problem indeed.
In the wake of this heated debate, I therefore think that it is time to get out of the trenches and start focusing on the task that journalists and scientists actually share: to make people more well informed.
Interfere!
At DTU, we try to perform this task through a number of tangible initiatives with the main message being: ‘Interfere!’
Among other initiatives, we have held debate meetings where researchers have discussed when they should present proposals for a current agenda and how they can use their knowledge to add important nuances to the debate. We offer media training and advice to anyone who is interested. Finally, all our PhD students participate in an ambitious course, where they learn how to communicate their research to a wide audience based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Our PhD students visit upper secondary school classes in Denmark and give presentations on the contribution of technology to sustainable development. The feedback from the upper secondary school students is clear: This is knowledge dissemination that is contagious, that makes them smarter, and that gives them a sense of responsibility for future generations.
It is therefore possible to disseminate research into green fuels, marine resources, and health technology to the young target audience that DR is also aiming for.
The work with disseminating complicated knowledge to a wide public is not only meaningful to DTU. It is also a democratic obligation laid down in the Danish University Act. Likewise, the public service contract for 2019-2023 stipulates that DR has an obligation to “promote knowledge and understanding” among the general public.
The coronavirus pandemic is probably the clearest example of why it is important that both parties comply with their obligations. Here, complicated topics and specialist terms suddenly became commonly known, and the constant development of the virus meant that the Danes were continuously dependent on the latest knowledge and expert assessments. The collaboration between journalists and experts was therefore crucial, and the ability to give immediate answers and to show trust and respect for each other’s academic and professional competences were key elements in a successful outcome.
The unfortunate conflict about ‘Ellen Imellem’ has only confirmed to me how important it is that we stick to our good collaboration. We need to start constructive debates. Not wage war on each other. Our task is to disseminate knowledge. Not conspiracy theories. And we must work together to find new, innovative ways to show—in a fair and credible way—what a unique world of opportunities, ideas, and solutions the world of research is.
