Public Understanding of the Humanities

William Kovach, chairman of the Committee of Concerned Journalists, is directing this study of reporting on the humanities in the United States. Participants— government and private sector policymakers in the humanities, scholars, journalists, and public information specialists—are looking at ways to improve the quality of media coverage of the humanities, identifying gaps in reporting, and exploring difficulties humanists face in conveying their work's value to the general public.

As a first step, the committee is defining what constitutes "humanities reporting," as distinguished from arts reporting, and book and theater reviewing. Other issues to be addressed include the shortage of journalists with the training and background to report on stories about such disciplines as history and philosophy. On the other side, humanists have not always fully understood the requirements of journalists or framed their stories in ways suitable for coverage in the popular press. Furthermore, little data about the humanities, other than anecdotal or impressionistic assertions, is available for use by reporters. By contrast, science writing is an established career track at many newspapers and magazines, and science organizations devote considerable resources to targeted public education efforts.

The study will review several possible approaches to promoting greater public understanding of the humanities, including fostering improved relations between humanities organizations and the press, creating fellowships to enable young scholars and reporters to learn more about the humanities, and promoting innovative scholarly work for broader audiences outside universities and colleges.

This study is being carried out in cooperation with the Committee of Concerned Journalists.

> Back to Humanities Research