Knowledge, Data, and Media in Science Journalism | Bremen | October 17-19, 2022

WISSENSWERTE is one of the most important forums for science journalism in the German-speaking world.

At the invitation of the Informationsdienst Wissenschaft e.V. (idw), we were able to take part in the trade exhibition and speak about image research and image management as part of the "Meet the Expert" format.

The three-day event provides space to discuss current topics from the science sector and the important role journalism plays in this context. This year, the dominant themes were above all Covid coverage, deepfakes, the climate debate, woke culture, and the state of facts and sources.
 

Finding and Organizing Scientific Image Material – Our Conversations at "Meet the Expert"

At the idw booth: Nina Gramüller, Project Manager Marketing at picturemaxx, and Jürgen Steiner, Content Manager at idw

Every year, the expert talks and discussions at WISSENSWERTE are accompanied by a Wissenscampus (knowledge campus) featuring various information booths from the research and journalism sectors. The "Meet the Expert" format gives exhibitors the opportunity to place special emphasis on current topics or news.

In this format, at the event that has just ended, picturemaxx presented the picturemaxx media network together with idw, through which idw offers its members' media to the editorial world. Embedded within idw's exhibition booth, we showcased our meta search engine my-picturemaxx.

Together with the team from the idw image portal and visitors to the event, we discussed the everyday needs and challenges involved in scientific image research. 

The WISSENSWERTE Conference Program and Current Debates in Science Journalism

Beyond our own presentation, we also got to experience WISSENSWERTE's conference program. It offered a wide range of formats – from keynotes to discussion panels and workshops to interactive Oxford-style debates – for addressing and discussing current issues in science journalism. Topics included neutrality in journalism and the difficulty of conveying scientific complexity accurately to audiences. Throughout, one question kept coming up: how journalism, and science journalism in particular, needs to evolve, and what new formats and technologies will be needed for this in the future.