Communicating Science: 

This research project is a Doctoral research project (Dissertation). The main objective of this study is to identify science media strategies that can create balance as a product of journalism and bring scientific consensus in the preparation of science news. In producing science news stories from scientific sources in collaboration with researchers and academics, some challenges must be faced regarding tracking scientific evidence and uncertainty in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researcher explored the various stages of news production together with the science journalists who participated in this process. By so doing, we capitalize on the memories of science journalists and scientists as an important resource for reconstructing news decisions on COVID-19 pandemic topics.

Methods
This study will utilize retrospective reconstruction interviews to understand the collaborative process between scientists and journalists in producing COVID-19 news content for The Conversation Indonesia. By focusing on specific news stories, the method allows for a comprehensive exploration of how scientific consensus and journalistic principles are applied and how roles are shared according to each profession. The interview process is reciprocal, facilitating an exchange of information between the researcher and the participants. This approach provides a historical perspective on the news production process, helps minimize biases in self-reporting, and measures the balance of multiple outcomes. Importantly, the study also considers scientists as primary writers and key actors in news production, reflecting the unique practice of The Conversation Indonesia.

Who is undertaking it?
The study is led by Ilham Akhsanu Ridlo (Ph.D. Student); under the supervision of Prof. Thomas Hanitzsch (Supervisor) and Prof. Constanze Rossmann (Co-Supervisor) at the Institute for Communication Studies and Media Research, LMU Munich, Germany.

Who is funding it?
This project is funded by a Doctoral Scholarship (2021) from Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia.