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2 Nanotech. L. & Bus. 350 (2005)
Media Portraits of Nanotech in North American Written Media: 1986-2000

handle is hein.journals/nantechlb2 and id is 356 raw text is: Media Portraits of Nanotech in North American Written Media: 1986-2000 BRENTON FABER*, JUSTIN MACKINNON* and MARGARET PETROCCIONE ABSTRACT The media will play a defining role in educating society about nanotechnology. Indeed, media portraits of nanotech will influence investments, legislative and regulatory decisions, and commercialization of nanotech-based products. In this article, a team of social scientists analyzes how the media has historically portrayed nanotech. Media reports of nanoscale science and technology (NST') from 1986-2000 represented the field as an elite science emerging from well-known universities and corporate research centers. Media reports were overwhelmingly positive and based largely on speculation and opinion with fewer articles citing specific data or research methods. A small majority of articles presented NST as a natural progress within scientifc fields, and other articles argued that NST was necessary simply because nanoscale devices create efficiencies or because a nanoscale revolution was inevitable. NST was affiliated most closely with computer research, medical applications and electronic applications. Rather than attempting to characterize media reporting of NST during this period in a single way, the authors conclude that NST was represented by multiple and competing frames. Sustained coverage of societal issues did not emerge until 2000, and this reporting was based entirely on opinion and speculation. The authors argue that in science writing, it is crucial that media reports be accurate, informative, and critical. While some of this responsibility passes to those providing source data for journalistic research, science writers must also recognize the role they play in explaining, critiquing, and legitimizing NST. 1. INTRODUCTION his study reports on the public representation of nanoscale science and technology (NST) in North American written popular written media from 1986-2000. We use the term nanoscience to describe pure research at the molecular level. Such research endeavors to identify the unique physical properties and characteristics of matter at the scale of one-billionth of a meter. We use the term nanotechnology to describe the application of these principles and structures, typically in the * Brenton Faber is an Associate Professor in the department of Communication & Media at Clarkson University. He can be reached at faber@clarkson.edu. ** Justin MacKinnon is an undergraduate student in the department of Communication & Media at Clarkson University. *** Margaret Petroccione is an undergraduate student in the department of Communication & Media at Clarkson University. INANOTECHNOLOGY LAW & BUSINESS - Volume 2 No. 4 348

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