News 2019

The Swiss population's trust in science and research is high to very high. As the Science Barometer Switzerland 2019 study shows, people in Switzerland have a positive attitude towards science and are keen to receive information about research, with climate and energy considered the most important topics.

The #MeToo movement has encouraged women to share their personal stories of sexual harassment. While the movement amplifies previously unheard voices, a Carnegie Mellon University analysis of #MeToo media coverage shows accusers are often portrayed as sympathetic, but with less power and agency than their alleged perpetrators.

Researchers at the Institute of Psychology show how news about immigrants and language describing immigrants shape prejudice against immigrants and other social minorities, as part of the project «Immigrants in the Media». For instance, nouns used for describing the ethnicity of immigrants enhance prejudice against immigrants more than adjectives.

Photo credit: Lucía Vergara and Article 19-Mexico City, Mexico Photo credit: Lucía Vergara and Article 19-Mexico City, Mexico Researchers from 16 Latin American and Caribbean countries, hosted by the Institute for the Advanced Study of the Americas, will share information on the challenges journalists face and their contributions to society.

While the influence of Facebook and Google on the news landscape has been well examined, Wikipedia's role as a source of breaking news has not received enough attention, says a University of Sydney expert. Dr Bunty Avieson  from the University's  Department of Media and Communications  has examined Wikipedia as a breaking news source, in a new research paper published today in prestigious internet studies journal  First Monday .

Research into the use of Russian-linked social media accounts following the 2017 UK terrorist attacks has led to calls for greater regulation of technology companies. In their report on Disinformation and 'fake news' , the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee described how work by the Crime and Security Research Institute was among "strong evidence" which, "detailed ways in which the Kremlin attempted to influence attitudes in UK politics".

Hardly a day went by in the summer of 2018 without a report on the continuing water scarcity at the time in Switzerland. Again and again, newspapers, radio and television were coming up with questions like: "How much water do nature, agriculture and people need?", "How can we find ways to save water?" and "Which regions have the least water reserves?" On the other hand, Swiss municipal governments, cantons, engineering firms, NGOs and public sector agencies appear to be less concerned with the relationship between water scarcity and water-saving measures.

Hardly a day went by in the summer of 2018 without a report on the continuing water scarcity at the time in Switzerland. Again and again, newspapers, radio and television were coming up with questions like: "How much water do nature, agriculture and people need?", "How can we find ways to save water?" and "Which regions have the least water reserves?" On the other hand, Swiss municipal governments, cantons, engineering firms, NGOs and public sector agencies appear to be less concerned with the relationship between water scarcity and water-saving measures.