After many calls from journalism and other public interest groups, the Biden administration on Jan. 11, 2022, issued a report on the policy and practices within the U.S. government that cover how scientific data is released to the public. According to a press release from the White House, “The report responds to the President’s call to ensure accurate, evidence-based policymaking and to restore public trust in government.”
The Society of Professional Journalists called for a more open procedure that allows for scientists and other experts to be interviewed by reporters without also requiring the presence of an agency’s public affairs officer.
While the report does clearly state that the findings of government scientists will not have their findings changed by public affairs officers, it also clearly states that all communication with the media will be handled “through appropriate coordination with their supervisor and public affairs office.”
The full report (as a PDF document) can be read here: PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF GOVERNMENT SCIENCE
The section on dealing with the media begins on page 30 of the report and is copied below. (Note the repeated use of “public affairs offices/officers.)
Communicating Scientific Information with Integrity
Fundamental to effective government policy decision-making and restoring trust in government is ensuring the availability of credible and reliable scientific information to both decision-makers and the public, in forms they can readily understand. The 2021 Presidential Memorandum calls for the Task Force to identify effective practices regarding the engagement of Federal scientists and contractors with the news media, on social media, and for protecting scientific independence during clearance and review. When scientific information from the government is suppressed, distorted, or politically influenced, the lack of information—or worse, the misinformation that is shared—can impede the equitable delivery of Federal Government programs and undermine public trust. At a time when the public has access to numerous streams of sometimes conflicting information, open, clear, and trustworthy scientific communications have never been more important.
This chapter identifies good practices for communicating scientific information with integrity. The practices include mechanisms that can enable Federal scientists to communicate about their science without political interference, while complying with agency policies and procedures for planning and conducting scientific activities, reporting scientific findings, and reviewing and releasing scientific products. A cross-cutting theme is ensuring clear distinctions between communication of scientific findings and related policy decision-making. Many of the challenges in communicating scientific information with integrity stem from the often-close relationship between the two in areas of great public interest. Equally important is ensuring that information is disseminated in ways that are accessible to diverse audiences, to avoid exacerbating existing inequities.
Encouraging Openness and Transparency with the Media
In instructing agencies to develop communications policies that promote openness and transparency with the media and the public, the 2010 OSTP Memorandum specifies that Federal scientists be able to speak to the media and the public about their official work, through appropriate coordination with their supervisor and public affairs office. It also states the need to comply with limits on the disclosure of classified information. The 2010 OSTP Memorandum further states that public affairs officers may not ask or direct Federal scientists to alter their scientific findings and requires that a dispute resolution process exist regarding decisions on proceeding with proposed interviews and information-related activities.
While scientists who do not want to talk with the media should not be required to do so, agencies can support those who decide to proceed with media engagements. Effective interaction allows the media to have access to scientists based upon their official scientific work and area of scientific expertise, which contributes to the accurate reporting and public communication of science. Agency processes often operate on slower timelines than those of reporters, who sometimes desire rapid access to Federal experts for tight deadlines. Good practices for agencies to consider to encourage openness and transparency in communicating with the media include:
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- Develop specific media communication policies and procedures that apply to practicing scientists. These policies and practices are aimed at scientists working in research positions in their agencies and reflect the guidance contained in the 2010 OSTP Memorandum and 2021 Presidential Memorandum. They allow media access in coordination with supervisors and public affairs officials. They should provide clear guidance on scientists’ engagement with the media, limitations on the types of information that may be communicated (e.g., protecting security and privacy) and the role of communications offices in supporting these interactions.
- Provide clear guidance on the role of communication professionals in scientific media engagements. To promote transparency and trust, communications professionals should work collaboratively with scientists being interviewed, helping scientists effectively navigate media interviews, and supporting—not censoring—the flow of scientific information.
- Establish clear timelines on coordination processes for media engagement to ensure timely responses to media interview requests and to establish expectations for reporters, scientists, and communication staff consistent with agency mission. Such an approach can be accompanied by a presumption of agency approval or agreement if no response is received in a reasonable, specified timeline.
- Accelerate responsiveness by pre-clearing talking points and scientific spokespeople. Periodically updated talking points or “desk statements” provide communications professionals with up-to-date information for timely response to press queries. Some agencies create both “evergreen,” top-line communications messages about frequently raised issues and reactive, “hot button issue” messages in advance of anticipated media inquiries. Pre-cleared spokespeople can be given latitude to respond rapidly to the media on a broad set of scientific issues related to the agency in an objective, non-partisan, and knowledgeable fashion.
- Train scientists to interact with the media. Such training prepares scientists for different types of media interactions, such as for print media, live media, and on-camera interviews. It can help scientists use terminology that is accessible to diverse audiences and prepare them to comment on the work of other scientists, as they are often asked to do. Ensuring that scientists are ready for media success through coaching or other methods is important.
Using Social Media for Enhancing Science Communications
Agencies recognize that social media communication of scientific information can play an important role in external science communications. It is also used increasingly as a form of communication between and among practicing scientists. A number of agencies actively encourage interested Federal scientists to interact with scientific peers and the broader public community through digital and social media. It is important that scientists are supported and trained in public and social media communication, as well as in Federal ethics rules and agency social media policies. Social media guidance should be clear, formalized, easily available, and known to employees.
Good practices for agencies to consider regarding the use of social media to communicate scientific information include:
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- Provide training to scientific and communications staff about social media. Effective training focuses not only on translation of scientific information into public communications, but also on limitations and expectations in the use of personal social media accounts, e.g., reinforcing that scientists may not announce results of Federal research that have not yet been reviewed and approved and must avoid engaging in discussion of agency policy.
- Clarify guidance on allowable use of personal social media accounts by Federal scientists to communicate scientific information to the public. Several agencies have found that personal social media accounts can be an effective mechanism for Federal scientists to complement other agency communication channels in disseminating the results of scientific research. While use of social media can enable scientists to engage with the broader scientific community and improve public outreach, it must be done in ways that are consistent with Federal records requirements, ethics rules, and other agency guidelines and regulations (e.g., security, privacy). Successful use of personal social media accounts requires that agencies provide scientists with clear written guidance and expectations on social media interactions.
- Engage scientific subject matter experts to assist with official agency social media efforts. Engagement of Federal scientists and other knowledgeable staff to work with public affairs offices improves the accuracy and objectivity of their science communications via official agency social media channels. Some agencies employ full time staff or use time-limited assignments to engage subject matter experts in translating complex scientific information into meaningful, reliable, and useful social media information.