Science Journalism in Crisis: What the 1980s Crash Teaches Today’s Media Shakeout

The Conversation argues that today’s anxieties about science journalism reflect real economic shifts and political pressures that mirror the 1986 ’science crash,’ when many science magazines folded, yet the field persisted by evolving formats and training. While major print titles like Popular Science and National Geographic have cut staff or ceased print, the internet has expanded access to science content through web outlets, YouTube, and platforms like Substack. The piece concludes that the current downturn is partly a moral panic and partly warranted; sustaining rigorous science reporting will require innovative business models and investment to balance the demand for accessible science with the rigorous, investigative journalism that underpins public trust.