Report prepared by: Ayesha shafi2009-ag-2683Table of contents: Sr#. TopicPage #1Abstract/executive summary32Introduction43Methodology4Results and discussion4Summary findings and conclusions5References6Technical appendixMEDIA AND BIOTECHNOLOGYABSTRACT: Biotechnology is emerging technique which is use to get benefit for mankind. In this report we will find role of media in biotechnology. We will find public interest problems face in media and biotechnology coverage. Media does not pay more attention to biotechnology due to some reasons. Media report on news like stories that are of general interest to public. Biotechnology and other sciences are highly technical in nature. Stories must be told in few words. Which make it difficult in communicating detail. The more specialized reader and writer it is easy to convey details. By media Many details can be included in mathematics and technical knowledge that cannot understang by general public. Thus in reporting science for general public without mathematics and technical language most of facts of science are glossed over so scientist complain that media does not get science right. Most scientist have no training in media. Due to lack of communication skills so they are uncomfortable in talking with reporters. So reporters complain that scientist not convey information in such a way that it cannot understand by general public. People have interest in genetic engineering and have taken many approaches on it over year. Since majority of people interested in environmental issues. As it concern if it could harm to environment? Some people wonder about ethics. As they think about food safety. people also think about interest of their global areas. As they think will it help to feed public? Is it safe to eat? Is there any economic benefit of it? Is it harm the environment?. As world is going to be practical so people wants return as a result of their investment so people only invest on biotechnology if it would be economical for them. While reporting biotechnology journalist require the source which is beneficial to people. Reporting should be in balanced manner and in easy language so it could be easily understand by layman without distorting key message. INTRODUCTION: Biotechnology is use of living organiosom to get benefit from them for mankind. From beginning man has been using technology to make its life easy including cheese making and brewing. In first generation biotechnology man use to make vaccine, cheese, beer and wine by using conventional method. 2 nd generation biotechnology: conventional breeding and tissue culture technique were used. 3 rd generation biotechnology: in 3rd generation biotechnology or modern biotechnology recmbinent DNA technology, genomes, and genomics were introduced. When modern biotechnology combined with conventional technique so it can go a long way in improvement of crop productivity. Most of science information is wasted if it is unheared, unread, unseen and not understood. So it is necessary for scientist to communicate their finding for benefit of mankind. One way to communicate science is through media. Media is powerful tool for communication. Most of time it influence how people think. In general media refers to various means of communicating e. g television, radio, newspaper, and different type of media. Relationship between media and biotechnology has been promoted during past two decades. HISTORY: Role of media in biotechnology has been divided into three stages. EARLY STGE (1975-1994): It could be characterize that genetic engineering could revolutionized agricultural industry. Much of science originating from companies and the reported benefits. New structures were being erected by government. And group of scientist met to discuss how biotechnology should regulated. MIDDLE STAGE (1995-2002): Middle stage was characterized by negative reporting of scientific knowledge. First biotechnology plants were grown in 1995. And university scientist were performing risk related research in biotechnology. The results were not surprising. PRESENT STAGE: The period from 2003 to present has been quite in reporting biotechnology. There are also some issues such as environmental issues and globle warming which are in great discussion between scientist now a day. Most interesting period with regard to reporting comes from middle period of 1995-2002. In 1998 after completion of genetically modified potato study in lab rats. After completion of potato feeding studies in lab rat. Arpad pustzai announced on British television that rat had intestinal problems. His announcement focuses negative media attention and scared the public. Pustzai published his data next year in 1999. Scientific organization, scientist and royal society conclude that no scientific results could be drawn from pustzai’s study. In 1999 most negative plant stories emerged bout GM crops when BT protein was introduced in cotton. But it also kill useful insects such as caterpillar of butterfly were also killed as it was closely related to corn pests. However in middle period of biotechnology alarmism there seems to be attempt at coverage by media. When media went in wrong direction most of blame could be placed on individual scientist. As journalist blame that most of information is not rightly conveyed by scientist so that it could publish by media. by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), the training workshop work as ” Status, Impacts and Future Prospects of Agri-biotechnology in a Changing Climate: A Regional Workshop for Media Practitioners” work on the products of crop biotechnology and their use in solving the global challenges of feeding a growing population and helping adapt to the damaging effects of climate change. It also tackled accurate and scientific biotech reporting for the media practitioners. The activity particularly aimed to enhance the awareness and understanding of the media to the science of agri biotechnology and its participations to agricultural development, food security, and environmental sustainability challenges by changing climate, enhance their capacities in communicating crop biotechnology, as well as promote science-based, responsible, and accurate reporting on biotechnology among media practitioners in the region. OBJECTIVES: What is role of media in biotechnology? Level of public interest in source use to obtain informationMedium commonly use to obtain information about biotechnology. Public role in media. PROBLEMS: Media report on news like stories that are of general interest to public. Its duty is to report facts in interesting way. Biotechnology and other sciences are highly technical in nature. Stories must be told in few words. Which make it difficult in communicating detail. The more specialized reader and writer it is easy to convey details. Ther are number of journels that cover science research for scientist. Many details can be included in mathematics and technical knowledge that cannot understang by general public. Thus in reporting science for general public without mathematics and technical language most of facts of science are glossed over so scientist complain that media does not get science right. Most scientist have no training in media. Due to lack of communication skills so they are uncomfortable in talking with reporters. So reporters complain that scientist not convey information in such a way that it cannot understand by general public. In this view it must be noted that reporter must rely on original scientific publications as primary source of information. People have interest in genetic engineering and have taken many approaches on it over year. Since majority of people interested in environmental issues. As it concern if it could harm to environment? Some people wonder about ethics. As they think about food safety. people also think about interest of their global areas. As they think will it help to feed public? Is it safe to eat? Is there any economic benefit of it? Is it harm the environment? As world is going to be practical so people wants return as a result of their investment so people only invest on biotechnology if it would be economical for them. A journalist will turn research into credible stories. Science journalist analyze the finding and deliver in sensitive manners. In sensitive manner take into account the socio economic and political landscape of country. It is necessary to avoid reporting stories using incredible sources which contain inaccuracies. Biotechnology has become controversial due to poor reporting. Common complain is that media does not cover important issues. However close analysis reveal that poor reporting may be due to weakness in scientific world. Media slope goes to sensationalism to keep people interested. While reporting biotechnology journalist require the source which is beneficial to people. Reporting should be in balanced manner and in easy language so it could be easily understand by layman without distorting key message. METHODOLGY: In this study data collected from two sources. One from print media and second from survey. In this survey we take interview of key informants. In this we make questionnaire which consist of interview question. Interview question ask respondents where obstacles are entered in support of biotech sector. My Questionair contain following questions. Q1. what is role of media in biotechnology coverage? Q2. what has been tone of media coverage related to biotechnology? Q3. modren technology has upset balance of nature? Q4. level of trust for media in collecting information? Q5. medium commonly use to obtain information about biotechnology? Q6. is media play any economical role in biotechnology? Q7. media does not get science right? Q8. public role in media? Q9. proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated? Q10. media give information about science to illiterate people? Q11. most of facts are glossed over by media while presenting scientific knowledge? Q12. problems face by media in biotechnology coverage? Q13. level of public interest in source use to obtain biotechnology information? SAMPLE SIZE: I take sample size of 32. I collect data from primary source. I make questionnaire which contain question. That contain question which try to find obstacles where obstacles were entered in support of biotech sector. Interview question ask respondents where they find obstacles and what is their solution. SAMPLING PROCEDURE: I take random sample. I collect data from CABB(center of agriculture biochemistry and biotechnology), from PBG(plant breeding and genetics), from pp(plant pathology) department. I collect data from m phil students, from Phd students, and from researchers(professors, lecturer) by distributing my questionnaire . I distribute my questionnaire and try to find problems faced by them to communicate their data. DATA ANALYSIS: I analyse my data by using SPSS 14 software(21 version). I put my data give commands to computer. I put my data in spss then click on analyse then goes to top window then click on descriptive statistics. Then click on statistics then click on median, mean, mode and range and then find frequencies It gives data in form of tables. STATISTICS: what is role of media in biotechnology coverage? what has been tone of media coverage related to biotechnology? modren technology has upset balance of nature? level of trust for media in collecting information? medium commonly use to obtain information about biotechnology? NValid3232323232Missing00000Mean1. 53131. 43751. 40632. 65633. 6875Median2. 00001. 00001. 00003. 00004. 0000Mode2. 001. 001. 003. 004. 00Std. Deviation. 50701. 50402. 49899. 65300. 82060Range1. 001. 001. 003. 003. 00is media play any economical role in biotechnology? media does not get science right? public role in media? proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated? NValid32323232Missing0000Mean1. 65631. 53131. 34381. 5000Median2. 00002. 00001. 00001. 5000Mode2. 002. 001. 001. 00(a)Std. Deviation. 48256. 50701. 48256. 50800Range1. 001. 001. 001. 00media give information about science to illiterate people? most of facts are glossed over by media while presenting scientific knowledge? problems face by media in biotechnology coverage? level of public interest in source use to obtain biotechnology information? NValid32323232Missing0000Mean1. 37501. 34383. 37501. 3750Median1. 00001. 00004. 00001. 0000Mode1. 001. 004. 001. 00Std. Deviation. 49187. 48256. 94186. 49187Range1. 001. 003. 001. 00FREQUENCY TABELES: what is role of media in biotechnology coverage? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidencouraging1546. 946. 946. 9discouraging1753. 153. 1100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0what has been tone of media coverage related to biotechnology? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidpositive1856. 356. 356. 3negative1443. 843. 8100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0modren technology has upset balance of nature? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidyes1959. 459. 459. 4no1340. 640. 6100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0level of trust for media in collecting information? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidno trust26. 36. 36. 3low trust825. 025. 031. 3moderate trust2165. 665. 696. 9high trust13. 13. 1100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0medium commonly use to obtain information about biotechnology? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidmagazine26. 36. 36. 3news paper13. 13. 19. 4television26. 36. 315. 6internet2784. 484. 4100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0is media play any economical role in biotechnology? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidyes1134. 434. 434. 4no2165. 665. 6100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0media does not get science right? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidyes1546. 946. 946. 9no1753. 153. 1100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0public role in media? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidencouraging2165. 665. 665. 6discouraging1134. 434. 4100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidyes1650. 050. 050. 0no1650. 050. 0100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0media give information about science to illiterate people? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidyes2062. 562. 562. 5no1237. 537. 5100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0most of facts are glossed over by media while presenting scientific knowledge? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidagree2165. 665. 665. 6disagree1134. 434. 4100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0problems face by media in biotechnology coverage? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidlack of awareness of people26. 36. 36. 3lack of interest of public412. 512. 518. 8lack of comunicating skills of researcher618. 818. 837. 5all of above2062. 562. 5100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0level of public interest in source use to obtain biotechnology information? FrequencyPercentValid PercentCumulative PercentValidextension profesionals and university scientist2062. 562. 562. 5television, newspaper and radio reporter1237. 537. 5100. 0Total32100. 0100. 0RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
what is role of media in biotechnology coverage?
About 46% people said that media role is encouraging and remaining 54% people said that media role is discouraging. what has been tone of media coverage related to biotechnology? About 56% people said that media tone is positive in case of biotechnology. And remaining 44% people said that media tone is negative in case of biotechnology. Some people give totally opposite view as they media is neither positive nor negative actually media is silent in case of biotechnology.
modren technology has upset balance of nature?
About 60% people said that media has upset balance of nature and about 40% people said not. I also try to find their answer by conducting interview. I feel people are much sensitive about environmental issues and other ethical issue. According to them biotechnology has upset balance of nature as in many cases such as by introducing gene in BT cotton. Which was resistant against insect pest also killed many other useful insect. They also by using biotechnology as in case of genetic engineering by introducing new genes older speciese are at extinct danger as they said that by using biotechnology genetic diversity decrease but few peoples have totally opposite value as they said that by using biotechnology genetic diversity increase as by introducing genes many new varieties develop.
level of trust for media in collecting information?
About 6% people show no interest. 25% people show low interest. About 65% people show moderate interest. And only 4% people showed high interest.
medium commonly use to obtain information about biotechnology?
According to 6% people magazine are best medium to obtain information. According to 4% people news paper are best way to obtain information. According to 6% people television is best way to obtain information as illiterate people can also get information by using television. And about 85% internet is best way of obtaining information. So most of people said that internet is best source for obtaining information.
is media play any economical role in biotechnology?
Aout 35% people said that media play economic role as by using media they will get economical benefit by publishing their finding. And about 65% people said that media has no role in economy as according to them biotechnologAout 35% people said that media play economic role as by using media they will get economical benefit by publishing their finding. And about 65% people said that media has no role in economy as according to them biotechnology is costly in itself.
media does not get science right?
As media report scientific knowledge like stories so most of facts are losses. About 47% people said yes and about 53% people said no.
public role in media?
About 65% people said that media role is encouraging. And about 34% people said that media role is discouraging. Public role in media is very important. As public participate towards media then it will pay attention towards media news. So any information publish by media will receive by public.
proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated?
In view of 50% people proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated. And about 50% people said that proponents of biotechnology have not felt unfairly treated. Some people said that media is silent in case of biotechnology as most of information is lost if media not cover biotechnology.
media give information about science to illiterate people?
About 63% people said that media role to give information to illiterate peoples and about 37% people said that mrdia have no role to give information about science to illiterate people. As many illiterate people cannot read news paper however by using television, extension workers and other resources we can give information about science to illiterate people.
most of facts are glossed over by media while presenting scientific knowledge?
About 65% people said yes and about 35% people said no. as media report on scientific knowledge like stories in this way most of information are losted so scientist complain that media does not get science right.
problems face by media in biotechnology coverage?
6% people said major problem face by media in biotechnology coverage is lack of awareness of people. 13% people said that main problem is lack of interest of public. In view of 19% people main problem is lack of communication skills of researcher is main problem. And most of people about 62% said that all of above (lack of awareness of peoples, lack of interest of public lack of communication skills) are major problems face by media in biotechnology coverage. level of public interest in source use to obtain biotechnology information? About 63% people show interst towards extension profesionals and university scientist and about 37% people show interest towards television, newspaper and radio reporter. As extention worker can give information most effectively. I also conduct interview of some people to find role of media in biotechnology coverage, problems, and to find what we expect in future. I try to find level and nature of media attention to biotechnology. Most of people said that level and nature of media attention to biotechnology is to certain extent. I try to find why media is not playing important in biotechnology. I analyze some reasons that as biotechnology is new emerging field so people show little interest to it. As biotechnology is costly so people show no interest to invest their money. Lack of communication skills and lack oo knowledge is a reason due to which media not pay an important role in biotechnology. What can we expect in future? According to many peoples we expect betterment to improve food security. It is expected that most media leaders have learnt from past mistakes of ignoring biotechnology and they will pay attention towards biotechnology coverage. As million of people have eaten GM foods with no documented ill effect. So this factor will help in improvement of media interaction towards biotechnology. CONCLUSION: So it is concluded that media does not play more attention towards biotechnology coverage. what is role of media in biotechnology coverage? Media does not play more attention to biotechnology coverage. Some people said that media is silent towads biotechnology coverage. what has been tone of media coverage related to biotechnology? Media tone related tone related to biotechnology coverage is positive. modren technology has upset balance of nature? Modern technology has upset balance of nature as by introducing BT gene in cotton many useful insect were also killed. Biotechnology decrease genetic diversity as wide crops will be replace by transgenic crops. level of trust for media in collecting information? People show modern trust in collecting information from media. As from media they can deliver their knowledge to peoples. They can publish their work. medium commonly use to obtain information about biotechnology? People show more interest towards extention workers as they can deliver knowledge more effectively. is media play any economical role in biotechnology? Biotechnology is much costly but by using media in biotechnology we can earn money by publishing our finding. media does not get science right? Media does not get science right as media report scientific knowledge like stories so most of facts are lostedpublic role in media? Public role in media is encouraging. People show more interest in media so by using media in case of biotechnology. proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated? Media does not play important role in biotechnology actually media is silent in case of biotechnology. So proponents of biotechnology have felt unfairly treated by media. media give information about science to illiterate people? Media gives information about science to illiterate people. As by using television we can inform illiterate people. most of facts are glossed over by media while presenting scientific knowledge? Media report scientific knowledge like stories so most of scientific facts are glossed over. problems face by media in biotechnology coverage? Major problems face by media in biotechnology coverage are lack of communication skills, lack of awareness and lack of interest of public. level of public interest in source use to obtain biotechnology information? extension profesionals and university scientist are major source of interest by public. Role of media in biotechnology can increase by increasing interest of public. In future we hope so that people will pay more attention to biotechnology as they have learnt from old mistakes. And media will report correctly on news.
REFRENCES
Ortiz-garcia, s, ezcurra,” absence of detectable transgene in local landrace of maize in maxico(2003-2004); Proceeding of national academy of sciences USA 102: 12388-12343(2005)Sears, M. K et al; impact of Bt corn pollen on monarch butterfly population; Proceeding of national academy of sciences 104: 16204-16208(2007)Stewart, C. N. When media and science collide 21: 353-354(2003)Jay byrne; biotechnology the media and public policy; American enterprise institute (2003)www. apae. es
