Media Coverage of Space Science and Exploration

Very little research exists on news media coverage of space science and exploration compared with other scientific topics despite widespread public interest in outer space. This chapter reviews the existing literature—starting with how the media covered the purported Martian canals in the late nineteenth century, through the space race, the Cold War, and coverage by various countries as space science and exploration became increasingly complex. Some scholars explored what kinds of space science received attention from the news media, while others investigated bias in space reporting. Barriers to this kind of research and reporting include controlled messages by public information officers (PIOs), space scientists’ fear of being misunderstood or misquoted by reporters, and shrinking newsroom staffs and resources. Future investigations could focus on international perspectives of space science and exploration, as the United States has received most of the attention. In addition, the field would benefit from more peer-reviewed research, especially on how private industry is changing the game and how non-text-based media are covering outer space.