Opinion: Lack of Science Journalism in Developing Countries

Living in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the advantage of accessing reliable scientific information from trusted sources and peer-reviewed research. However, for my family and friends in Iraq and Syria, getting reliable information was often very difficult. This disparity in science communication is not only an inconvenience, but also a risk to public health and safety. My family and friends faced many challenges in obtaining accurate information about COVID-19’s impact on their communities, partly due to language barriers that prevented them from accessing U.S. trusted sources. Most of them relied on social media and local TV channels which contained a lot of misinformation. I tried to help them as much as I could by frequently translating information from U.S. research articles and science magazines to ensure they stayed informed and safe. Yet, the pandemic’s impact remained unclear for the general public in these regions which is a crucial shortfall for a crisis requiring informed public awareness. This experience highlighted a bigger issue: the absence of science journalism in many developing countries. When I searched online, I found very few local magazines or reliable news sources. Journalists there rarely report on local scientific advancements, even though universities like the University of Baghdad publish a substantial amount of peer-reviewed research in medicine, biology, chemistry, and environmental science. The irony is stark—scientific contributions exist, but without accessible science media, the local audience misses valuable information. Additionally, local TV channels rarely focus on science, despite the fact that medicine, engineering, and science are highly valued career paths across the Middle East. It’s also culturally significant: many Middle Eastern parents encourage their children to pursue these fields, as science is seen as both honorable and forward-looking. This region, after all, produced some of the world’s foundational figures in science, like Ibn Sina in medicine, Al-Khwarizmi in mathematics, and Jabir ibn Hayyan in chemistry. In my opinion, the absence of science journalism in war-torn and developing countries like Iraq and Syria is not a coincidence; it’s a consequence of systemic issues, including a lack of governmental support for free journalism, censorship, and under-resourced universities. This gap in science communication means that even as universities in these regions produce meaningful research, the public remains uninformed and deprived of critical knowledge that could empower them to make informed decisions about their health and environment. Steps are urgently needed to rebuild science journalism in these regions. Inspiring younger generations to consider science journalism as a valuable career is one step. Instilling the belief that science reporting is as crucial as conducting research could help rebuild this field. Furthermore, U.S. and European magazines should expand their science coverage to include research from journals in these regions. Such reporting could foster dialogue and potential collaborations between scientists worldwide. Some Western publications might also consider translating their stories into Arabic, making science more accessible to a broader audience and keeping diverse communities informed of current advancements. In today’s interconnected world, it’s unacceptable that millions are left in the dark about issues that directly impact their lives. By neglecting science journalism in developing countries, we are not only allowing misinformation to flourish—we’re failing entire populations who deserve to know and understand the world they live in. Science communication must be prioritized as a fundamental right, not a privilege, especially in regions where access to reliable information can be a matter of life and death.