The Emerging Practices of Watchdog Science Journalists in Ibero-America

Watchdog science journalism (WSJ)—investigative journalism whose objects are scientists and scientific institutions—is an important way of complying with the public service commitment of journalism. It is also one of the instruments to uphold the integrity and independence of scientific research in the face of misconduct, corporate and political interference, ideological manipulation, and scientific misinformation. But science journalists often find themselves in a “too close for comfort” relationship with scientists, which can compromise their critical stance. This problem is even harder in Ibero-America, a cultural region encompassing Spain, Portugal, and Latin American countries. Here, investigative journalism has historically been less prevalent, and science journalism consolidated later. But recent outstanding journalistic work suggests the emergence of a vibrant investigative science journalism scene in the region. In this study, we explore this development by interviewing 15 journalists from Ibero-America who have carried out outstanding WSJ on science, health, and technology. Based on their answers, we identify practices, values, impacts, barriers, and facilitators of WSJ in the region. We also identify what they perceive as constraints specific to Ibero-America, including political interference, lack of transparency, disabling newsroom culture, precarious funding, problematic relations with scientists, misuse of results, and job and psychological instability. For each of these challenges, we also identify enabling actions that are fostering or could foster WSJ in the region. Our work signals a departure from historical trends and ingrained practices, calling for a reconsideration of the contribution of Ibero-America to global science journalism.