From Archaeology to Archaeologies: the ‘Other’ Past

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From Archaeology to Archaeologies: the ‘Other’ Past From Archaeology to Archaeologies: The ‘Other’ Past Edited by Anna Simandiraki-Grimshaw Eleni Stefanou BAR International Series 2409 2012 Published by Archaeopress Publishers of British Archaeological Reports Gordon House 276 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7ED England [email protected] www.archaeopress.com BAR S2409 From Archaeology to Archaeologies: The ‘Other’ Past © Archaeopress and the individual authors 2012 ISBN 978 1 4073 1007 7 Cover Photograph: Tera Pruitt (chapter 3, Fig.03) Printed in England by 4edge, Hockley All BAR titles are available from: Hadrian Books Ltd 122 Banbury Road Oxford OX2 7BP England www.hadrianbooks.co.uk The current BAR catalogue with details of all titles in print, prices and means of payment is available free from Hadrian Books or may be downloaded from www.archaeopress.com SIMANDIRAKI-GRIMSHAW & STEFANOU (eds.): FROM ARCHAEOLOGY TO ARCHAEOLOGIES: THE „OTHER‟ PAST A LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND THE PERSPECTIVE OF OTHERS: ON THE PORTRAYAL OF ARCHAEOLOGY IN THE MASS MEDIA Diane Scherzler Abstract Many archaeologists do not appreciate how their field and how the past is presented in the media. They often This chapter focuses on the question of what typifies the regard archaeological reports on television, on the radio quality of a journalistic representation of archaeology. or in the press as odd or annoying (cf. Holtorf 2007a, To this end it compares the respective views of 105). Some archaeologists who participated in one of my archaeologists and journalists. Can the quality criteria of media training courses had previously counted the errors archaeology be transferred to journalism at all? It which journalists (actually or supposedly) make or explores how journalists understand their role and their smiled at the simplifications their colleagues use in task with respect to the relationship between archaeology interviews. They still like to peer suspiciously at the and the public at large. Why does the journalistic media popularity of a colleague (see Hale 2006, 236). description of archaeology differ from the way the profession portrays itself? Where is the friction between In this chapter, I would like to focus on a subject which science and journalism? Furthermore, this text suggests archaeologists like very much to discuss: which that when analysing how it is presented in the media, representation of the past and of archaeology in the mass archaeology should also turn its attention to phenomena media is acceptable, and what is to be rejected? What are which have hardly been considered so far, such as the characteristic features of journalistic quality? I will medialisation and monopolistic influences on public discuss this by comparing the respective views of opinion. archaeologists and journalists. The actual journalistic system, with which most archaeologists are not familiar, Keywords: Archaeology, accuracy, communication, deserves a closer look. I will therefore also allow a mass media, journalism, television, radio, press, number of experienced science journalists to have their medialisation say. It is they who make it possible to produce a professional, practical view of things from the journalistic system. This can put the subject in a Introduction completely different light than if archaeologists discuss journalism only with other archaeologists, as is often the If an archaeologist asks me what I do, and my reply case. Cinema films, incidentally, are not included in the includes the words ‗science communication‘ and ‗mass journalistic formats; they shall nevertheless be dealt with media‘, their reaction is usually quite predictable: ‗It‘s in passing owing to their impact on the public image of great that somebody is finally explaining to the media archaeology. I would initially like to briefly deal with the how archaeology works, because the things journalists relevance of the issue for archaeology. write about our profession and about the past are often completely wrong!‘ They are very surprised when I reply Does archaeology really need to rely on the media? that while journalists should know more about archaeology, archaeologists could also do much to The mass media are the most important factor for the improve the quality of media reporting. Since 2002, I relationship between archaeology and the public: what have been gaining experience at the interface between people see on television and in the cinema, what they archaeology and the mass media as editor and author at read in the newspaper and hear on the radio greatly one of Germany's largest public service media influence their perception of what archaeology is. A organisations. As a prehistorian I am involved with survey carried out for the Society for American archaeological topics time and again: I regularly Archaeology shows that 56% of adult US Americans interview archaeologists and report on their research. I learn about archaeology from television, 33% from am very anxious to improve the collaboration between magazines, 33% from books and 24% from newspapers science (particularly archaeology) and journalism, which (Ramos and Duganne 2000, 16). In contrast, is why I teach science communication, provide media archaeologists‘ own efforts by means of cultural events training courses for archaeologists who want to improve or in local archaeological or historical societies, for their interaction with journalists, and advise scientific example, meet with little public interest, however, with organisations on their media relations. Between 2003 and 1% each (Ramos and Duganne 2000, 18). Surveys in 2010, I have thus been able to work and discuss with Sweden, Canada and Great Britain provide very similar some 350 archaeologists from different countries and results: television is the dominant source of information specialist fields. Their views on the media world will be on archaeology (Holtorf 2007a, 52-54). For many incorporated into this chapter in addition to my people, the mass media are even the only source of experiences as a science journalist. information about the sciences (Luhmann 1996, 9; Schäfer 2007, 14). The mass media are, moreover, the place where, in society, ‗the legitimation of science is 77 SIMANDIRAKI-GRIMSHAW & STEFANOU (eds.): FROM ARCHAEOLOGY TO ARCHAEOLOGIES: THE „OTHER‟ PAST most strongly negotiated‘ (Schäfer 2007, 18; cf. also research the journalist is writing about! And everything Raupp 2008, 389). If scientific organisations or should be correct.‘ is what an archaeologist would individual researchers are named in the media and are perhaps say. Many of the archaeologists I work with are sought after as interview partners, politicians tend to therefore of the opinion that how the past is presented judge this as an indicator for social relevance (Peters et should depend on them in the end. They perceive al. 2008, 88). Scientific disciplines, institutions and reputable journalists as being those who produce long players, therefore, put emphasis on not only appearing in television broadcasts or newspaper articles for a well- the media, but also exerting a positive influence on the educated audience or readership and who can prepare assessments of themselves, where possible. Success here themselves for a topic with corresponding thoroughness also increases the probability of financial support (I am reminded of those journalists who perceive an (Schäfer 2007, 20-21). The same also applies to archaeologist to be more ‗real‘ the larger the dig, the archaeology and to the long-term survival of quality more valuable the finds and the more impressive the archaeological research (Brittain and Clack 2007, 26; technology used). Neal Ascherson (2004, 155) considers Ascherson 2004, 156). For these – and, of course, for it advantageous for good reporting if the journalist has a several other reasons as well – it is absolutely imperative degree or some experience in archaeology. William E. for archaeology to come to terms with the mass media. Boyd (1995, 52) perceives successful newspaper reports and radio interviews to be those which follow his press What constitutes a quality representation of release very closely, sometimes even word for word, and archaeology? take up the issues which he himself considered to be the most important. Archaeologists are more inclined to Which media representation of the past can an accept media reporting which presents archaeology in a archaeologist approve of? A film dealing with all the way which corresponds to their own expectations and angles which are important to an archaeologist? A radio perceptions (Holtorf 2007a, 31). Jon C. Lohse (2007, 3) report which the archaeologist checked when it was also commented on Mel Gibson's film Apocalypto finished? How important is the use of specialist (Gibson 2006) from the perspective of scientific terminology? Is the expression ‗Iron Age‘ acceptable in correctness: ‗Anyone who cares about the past should be place of ‗La Tène A‘? Is the phrase ‗several thousand alarmed; if most moviegoers who see the film use it to years ago‘ too imprecise and thus to be rejected? What formulate their understanding of what pre-Columbian about tabloid newspapers: is it acceptable to have an life was like, Apocalypto will have set back, by several article on archaeology next to a pin-up girl? What is the decades at least, archaeologists‘ efforts to foster a more minimum length a radio report must have in order to still informed view of earlier cultures.‘ Kenneth L. Feder reasonably present the facts? What should one think (1995, 14) also considers the mass media‘s ‗nonsense
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