DOES SCIENCE GET THE PRESS IT DESERVES

Concerns about public understanding of science in the UK are briefly described. The structure and content of newspapers are discussed with a view to explaining why the press cannot be regarded as a vehicle for 'educating' the public about science. It is argued that quality newspapers in the UK fulfil their proper function with respect to science reporting very well. If any change in science coverage in the media is to come about, it must arise from the scientific community appreciating the broader context of scientific research and relating the practice of science to the public's wider human, social, political and economic interests.