The document discusses the concept of reintermediation replacing mechanisms of transparency in open science. Specifically, it argues that traditional gatekeepers of science communication like journalists are becoming endangered as new intermediaries like corporate publishers, science advocacy groups, and press release repositories bypass them. This disintermediation raises questions about responsibilities and work ethics that the concept of reintermediation seeks to address through new models of science communication that replace traditional gatekeepers and sequences of information flow.

1. 1 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Rethinking openness in science:
Systemic implications of reintermediation
replacing mechanisms of transparency
Alexander Gerber
Chair, Science Communication,
Rhine-Waal University
Research Director, Institute for
Science & Innovation Communication
ag@hsrw.eu
a.gerber@inscico.eu
@inscico
alexandergerber
bit.ly/Reintermediation-Science

2. 2 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Extinction is the rule.
Survival is the exception.
Carl Sagan
1934-1996

3. 3 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Extinction is the rule.
Survival is the exception.
Carl Sagan
1934-1996
Open Science in the context of :
− Systemic change
− Public communication

4. 4 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Traditional understanding of quality assessment & assurance:
specialist discourse

5. 5 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
First sequence in a wider communication process:
specialist discourse → didactic explanation → popularisation


6. 6 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Traditional sequences in the communication process:
specialist discourse → didactic explanation → popularisation


7. 7 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Traditional sequences in the communication process:
specialist discourse → didactic explanation → popularisation


8. 8 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Traditional sequences in the communication process:
specialist discourse → didactic explanation → popularisation
This presumably sequential process has desequentialised for
quite some time.


9. 9 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Extinction is the rule.
Survival is the exception.
EUSJA Newsletter
3 / 2016

10. 10 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
The Gatekeeper*
an endangered species?
An obvious cause:
Change in information behaviour
→ business models obsolete
→ market pressures
→ churnalism
Term coined by journalist Walter Lippmann.
Research tradition founded in the 1950‘s by David M. White
*

11. 11 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
The Gatekeeper*
an endangered species?
An obvious cause:
Change in information behaviour
→ business models obsolete
→ market pressures
→ churnalism
Term coined by journalist Walter Lippmann.
Research tradition founded in the 1950‘s by David White
*
Term coined by journalist
Nick Davies in 2008
**
**
Catch 22: erosion
of public trust

12. 12 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
The Gatekeeper*
an endangered species?
An obvious cause:
Change in information behaviour
→ business models obsolete
→ market pressures
→ churnalism
Term coined by journalist Walter Lippmann.
Research tradition founded in the 1950‘s by David White
*
BBC Science Coverage
(Meller et al. 2011):
− 82% of science stories
derived from PR
UK Journalism in general
(Lewis et al. 2008):
− Time-pressure
increases dependence
on ‘ready made’ news.
− 60% of articles from
such sources (not
counting false
negatives).
− Most influenced topic:
health

13. 13 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
The Gatekeeper*
an endangered species?
An obvious cause:
Change in information behaviour
→ business models obsolete
→ market pressures
→ churnalism
Term coined by journalist Walter Lippmann.
Research tradition founded in the 1950‘s by David White
*
BBC Science Coverage
(Meller et al. 2011):
− 82% of science stories
derived from PR
UK Journalism in general
(Lewis et al. 2008):
− Time-pressure
increases dependence
on ‘ready made’ news.
− 60% of articles from
such sources (not
counting false
negatives).
− Most influenced topic:
health
“These data portray a
picture of journalism in
which any meaningful
journalistic activity by the
press is the exception rather
than the rule.”
(University of Cardiff)
See: Moore (2011) in CJR

14. 14 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
The Gatekeeper*
an endangered species?
A more concealed cause:
Technological and structural means
of bypassing the intermediary

15. 15 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #1

16. 16 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #1

17. 17 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #1

18. 18 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #1

19. 19 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #2

20. 20 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #2

21. 21 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #2

22. 22 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #2

23. 23 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #2

24. 24 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #3

25. 25 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Case #3

26. 26 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Why (only) this one expert?
Single discovery promoted
Researchers speaking of
themselves in the 3rd person
Case #3

27. 27 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
− Launched 2011 in AU
− 5 spin-offs since then
− Andrew Jaspan (founder):
“A direct pipeline from
knowledge creation to
knowledge dissemination”
Case #3

28. 28 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
− Launched 2002 in
the UK originally
as part of the RI
− 5 spin-offs since
then
− Mission: provide
evidence-based
information,
particularly on
controversial topics
− Comparatively
independent
Case #4

29. 29 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
− EurekAlert,
AlphaGalileo, IDW
etc. all started as
press-release
repositories, yet
serve as media
themselves now
Case #5

30. 30 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
− EurekAlert, AlphaGalileo, IDW etc. all started as press-release
repositories, yet serve as media themselves now
Case #5

31. 31 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
− EurekAlert, AlphaGalileo, IDW etc. all started as press-release
repositories, yet serve as media themselves now
Case #5

32. 32 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Press releases by academic institutions in Germany published
digitally on IDW (N.B. numer of members has also increased)
1995
2000
Case #5

33. 33 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Press releases by academic institutions in Germany published
digitally on IDW (N.B. numer of members has also increased)
1995
2000
2005
2010
Case #5

34. 34 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
1995 2000 2005 2010
Number of press-releases per Institution
Characters per press-release per year
2015
Case #5

35. 35 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Traditional sequences in the communication process:
specialist discourse → didactic explanation → popularisation
From Desequentialisation to Disintermediation…


36. 36 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps

37. 37 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps

38. 38 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Open Access,
Open Data
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps

39. 39 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Open Access,
Open Data
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
Science
Journalism 2.0

40. 40 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Open Access,
Open Data
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
Science
Journalism 2.0

41. 41 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Open Access,
Open Data
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
Science
Journalism 2.0

42. 42 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science Advocacy;
Upstream Engagement
Open Access,
Open Data
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 2.0
Science
Journalism 1.0

43. 43 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science Advocacy;
Upstream Engagement
Open Access,
Open Data
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 2.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
EurekAlert,
AlphaGalileo,
IDW, etc.
SMC
Conversation
Science Daily
Youris
Filling the gap: the ‘new’ intermediaries…

44. 44 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science Advocacy;
Upstream Engagement
Open Access,
Open Data
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 2.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
disintermediated

45. 45 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Science Advocacy;
Upstream Engagement
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Open Access,
Open Data
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 2.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
disintermediated
…generating questions about work ethics…

46. 46 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Corporate
Comms 2.0
Corporate
Publishing,
iTunesU,
Podcasts,
Apps
Science Advocacy;
Upstream Engagement
Open Access,
Open Data
Science
Journalism 3.0
Science
Journalism 2.0
Science
Journalism 1.0
Redefining
responsibilities
− The comms side
of “RRI”
− CSR
− ELSI
− pTA
…generating questions about work ethics…

47. 47 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Disintermediation
Originally coined in the Economic Sciences
Disintermediation in business (driven by digitisation long
before the media systems came under the economic and
increasingly political pressures we know today)…
Holiday-maker → Travel Agency → Hotel

48. 48 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Disintermediation
Originally coined in the Economic Sciences
Disintermediation in business (driven by digitisation long
before the media systems came under the economic and
increasingly political pressures we know today)…
Holiday-maker → Travel Agency → Hotel

49. 49 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Disintermediation
Originally coined in the Economic Sciences
Disintermediation in business (driven by digitisation long
before the media systems came under the economic and
increasingly political pressures we know today)…
Holiday-maker → Travel Agency → Hotel

50. 50 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Disintermediation
Originally coined in the Economic Sciences
Disintermediation in business (driven by digitisation long
before the media systems came under the economic and
increasingly political pressures we know today)…
Holiday-maker → Travel Agency → Hotel
…never happened!
The agencies were merely reintermediatised.

51. 51 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Reintermediation
…replaces the middlemen with new models
Disintermediation in business (driven by digitisation long
before the media systems came under the economic and
increasingly political pressures we know today)…
Holiday-maker → Travel Agency → Hotel

52. 52 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Reintermediation
…replaces the middlemen with new models
Hypothesis:
If we can expect science journalism to be affected in a
similar way as most other industries, both the challenges
and the potential solutions and new models will need to
be rethought fundamentally. We would be looking at
something that is not “journalism” any more as we know it.
One scenario could be…

53. 53 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Reintermediation Impact
Filtering:
Algorithms, Filter Bubbles, Echo chambers, Circumvention
Quality assurance:
Collaborative networks of quality assessment (e.g. Airbnb
ratings) have established but hardly exist yet in science.
Could they establish new trust relationships?

54. 54 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Reintermediation Impact
Filtering:
Algorithms, Filter Bubbles, Echo chambers, Circumvention
Quality assurance:
Collaborative networks of quality assessment (e.g. Airbnb
ratings) have established but hardly exist yet in science.
Could they establish new trust relationships?

55. 55 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
Reintermediation Impact
Filtering:
Algorithms, Filter Bubbles, Echo chambers, Circumvention
Quality assurance:
Collaborative networks of quality assessment (e.g. Airbnb
ratings) have been established in many industries, but
hardly exist yet in science.
Could they establish new trust relationships?

56. 56 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
He who refuses to learn,
deserves extinction.
Rabbi Hillel
110BC - 10AD

57. 57 / 57Gerber, Alexander (2018): “Rethinking openness in science”. EASST Conference, Lancaster / UK
He who refuses to learn,
deserves extinction.
Rabbi Hillel
110BC - 10AD
Alexander Gerber
Chair, Science Communication,
Rhine-Waal University
Research Director, Institute for
Science & Innovation Communication
ag@hsrw.eu
a.gerber@inscico.eu
@inscico
alexandergerber
bit.ly/Reintermediation-Science