The press is an essential link in the dissemination of knowledge about scientific and technological advancements. News media organizations are the venue in which the impact of discoveries on our lives can be introduced and popularized as a way of engendering support for the advancement of science. However, with their dual — and often dueling — identities, the American news media sometimes fail to adequately serve the interests of science and in so doing, also fail the interests of news consumers. Issues surrounding the nexus of journalism and science are further complicated by the reality that public opinion has always had a love-hate relationship with science all the way back to the Scientific Revolution during the age of Galileo in the 16^th century. Science often finds itself at odds with the popular culture in America, and yet, there are also occasions when science has been perceived as the salvation of mankind. Engaging readers and viewers in the urgency of climate change is perhaps the greatest challenge the media will face in the new century.

Dr. Joyce Hoffmann received her Ph.D. from New York University. She joined the faculty at Old Dominion University in 1994 where she teaches courses in media law and ethics and journalism. She is the author of several books including, On Their Own: Women Journalists and the American Experience in Vietnam, and she has written articles for several newspapers, such as the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Virginian-Pilot.

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