الملخص الإنجليزي
This descriptive study aims to identify the characteristics of scientific contents and related
challenges in the daily local newspapers in the Sultanate of Oman. The study adopts the
functional constructivism theory as a theoretical framework to explain its findings. To the
best of the researcher's knowledge, no study has been conducted on the scientific contents
of the daily Arabic newspapers in the Sultanate of Oman. The study sample consists of three
daily local newspapers: Al-Watan, Oman daily, and Al-Shabiba. It investigates the scientific
contents published on them during the period from January to December 2019 analyzing
(36) issues, i.e. (12) issues of each newspaper.
The study relies on the survey methodology and the content analysis form to investigate
characteristics of scientific contents, and the unstructured interview to examine the
challenges of scientific journalism in local newspapers by interviewing a sample of
communicators in these newspapers.
The study concluded several findings, the most important of which is that the area
dedicated by sample newspapers to scientific contents reached (6.4%), which constituted a
very modest percentage. Results revealed that the "social sciences" topics came first of the
contents that were prioritized by sample newspapers at a percentage of (25.3%), followed
by the "medical" topics at (18.8%), then the "health" topics at (11.3%), while topics related
to "climate and weather conditions", "industry" and "energy" were the least of their
concerns. As for methods of presentation of scientific content, results indicated that the
method of "displaying information only" was at the forefront of other methods at a
percentage of (72.8%), while the "local" coverage focus came first at a percentage of
(57.7%), with no Gulf scientific topics addressed.
Moreover, results showed that news was at the top of the journalistic genres list, at a
percentage of (82.1%), with a clear weakness in using other genres. Results also pointed to
a less interest in accentuation elements associating scientific topics such as drawings,
graphics, backgrounds and frames.
The study found a number of the challenges facing daily Omani Arabic newspapers with
regard to preparing and publishing scientific contents, the most important of which is the
absence of scientific departments and specialized journalists or specialized supplements
and pages in the sample newspapers. Moreover, there was no specialized training in
scientific journalism for communicators in the concerned departments. The results also
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indicated different degrees of cooperation between the research and academic institutions
with sample newspapers.
Study recommendations suggested that Omani newspapers should establish departments
for scientific journalism, dedicate pages and scientific supplements and appoint specialized
scientific journalists to manage such pages and supplements. It also recommended to pay
attention to train communicators on how to cover scientific topics, analyze research studies
and benefit from scientific papers. In addition, the study highlighted the importance of
establishing an academic educational path for scientific journalism in local universities and
colleges.
