[CURACAVÍ] Latin American nations should set up a news service to distribute information about science and scientific activities in the region. This was a key proposal made at the Third Meeting on Science Journalism, held last week in Curacaví, Chile.

"We need to create a news service, such as [the US initiative] Eurekalert, which could distribute embargoed information on science in Latin America," said Nicolás Luco, science editor of the Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.

Delegates also agreed that more priority should be given to Latin American science in local-language media, and stressed the need to include science and technology in university courses on communication.

In a declaration issued at the close of the meeting, they proposed the creation of a fellowship system for journalists to improve the communication of science and technology at the postgraduate level. They also suggested that every publicly funded research project should be required to draw up a summary of its results in easily understandable language.

Claudio Wernli, executive-director of the Millennium Scientific Initiative, which organised the meeting, said that he was pleased that the event had allowed delegates to suggest practical recommendations for improving science journalism in the region.

Link to the full declaration (in Spanish)