That was an interesting read. I think it is most important to eliminate conflict of interest in any research.

That was an interesting read. I think it is most important to eliminate conflict of interest in any research.

Thanks Michael Halim !

Another question that one might ask is: have you ever heard that a small (!) group of academics establishes an award to reward journalists for their reporting on the same (!) issues these academics cover in their research?

Furthermore, these academics wanted also to shame journalists and invited people to nominate journalists for "worst reporting;" however, these "worst reporting" awards have not been awarded and they disappeared from the Active Travel Academy’s webpage as if they had never existed.

You were not happy with the nominations you had received and then you pretend you had never wanted to shame journalists for their work?

So many questions, so many weird and, in my view, unethical behavior...but they keep going... Now this small group of academics established an 'own' journal and when dealing with one of the first submissions they did not follow their clear rules, which are still available on the their website.

• Do rules exist to be followed always or only when that suits us?
• Do we just delete the rules from the internet and pretend they have never existed or should we perhaps transparently report about the change?
• Do we set the journal guidelines and follow them only when it suits us?

I wrote about this in my other blog "Own awards and own journals: what could possibly go wrong?"

https://blogs.helsinki.fi/radun/2020/07/02/own-awards-and-own-journals-what-could-possibly-go-wrong/

Thanks for sharing the blog. It is a good read indeed.

How about the winners of the media awards and their relationship with the director of the Active Travel Academy Dr. Rachel Aldred, who is behind these awards and who co-chaired the expert panel of judges? Does anyone see a conflict of interest here? You interview me and write about my work in major media (BBC, the Guardian etc.)...and then I decide whether you will get an award?? Seriously?

2. News (broadcast)

• Tom Edwards, What do you breathe in on a commute? BBC London – Winner
• Tom had interviewed Rachel Aldred on 23rd June 2015 for – BBC London news on cycling safety http://rachelaldred.org/media/
• Tom had interviewed Rachel Aldred on 3 February 2016 “BBC London's Tom Edwards talks to Rachel Aldred at Westminster University, who says…” https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-35472180
• Tom interviewed Rachel Aldred on 4 May 2020 for BBC https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-52532893

3. Features (written)

• Stephen Burgen, ‘For me, this is paradise’: life in the Spanish city that banned cars’, Guardian Cities – Winner
• Stephen Burgen has interviewed Rachel Aldred on Nov 25, 2019 for HuffPost https://www.huffpost.com/entry/barcelona-ban-cars-traffic-pollution_n_5dd6665ae4b0fc53f20e6bbd?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

4. Features (broadcast)

• Peter Walker, Why forcing cyclists to wear helmets will not save lives, The Guardian – Winner
• Peter Walker had interviewed Rachel Aldred on 16 Nov 2013 for the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/nov/16/boris-johnson-cycle-friendly-london-deaths
• Peter Walker had interviewed Rachel Aldred on 11 Jun 2015 for the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jun/11/female-cyclists-bad-driving-harassment-study-uk-women-men-near-miss
• Peter Walker had interviewed Rachel Aldred on 1st July 2015, “Sabotage and Hatred: what have people got against cyclists?” https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jul/01/sabotage-and-hatred-what-have-people-got-against-cyclists
• Peter Walker had interviewed Rachel Aldred on Tue 26 Jun 2018 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2018/jun/26/mini-holland-schemes-have-proved-their-worth-in-outer-london-boroughs
• Peter Walker had interviewed Rachel Aldred 9 May 2019 for The Guardian, which was shared 1756 times https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/video/2019/may/09/do-cyclists-think-theyre-above-the-law-and-does-it-even-matter-video
• Peter Walker also apparently writes a lot about Rachel Aldred in his book: “The 242-page book is the one "I wanted to write," states British Cycling’s Chris Boardman, who appears in the text a number of times. London cycle advocate Dr. Rachel Aldred also makes frequent appearances – Bike Nation is packed with the very latest academic findings about cycling and cycling infrastructure.” https://www.bikebiz.com/bike-nation-how-cycling-can-save-the-world/

5. Local media

• Andrea Sandor, After the Climate Declaration Manchester City Council Faces Its First Test, Manchester Confidential – Winner
• Andrea Sandor interviewed Rachel Aldred after she had won Local media award https://www.citymetric.com/transport/golden-age-cycling-britain-needs-make-women-feel-safer-bikes-5148

6. Investigation/Long-term follow-up

• Ross Lydall, reporting on the death of Professor Maria Bitner-Glindzicz (three pieces submitted), Evening Standard – Winner
• Ross Lydall had interviewed Rachel Aldred on Monday 30 April 2018 https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/roads-with-most-cyclists-are-13-safer-for-riders-new-survey-says-a3826931.html

There is more, unfortunately

• Another member of the expert panel of judges, Victoria Hazael (Cycling UK) was interviewed by Peter Walker on 16 Sep 2017 for the Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/sep/16/on-your-bike-why-britain-needs-to-do-more-to-get-children-cycling
• Another member of the expert panel of judges was Victoria Hazael whose organization (Cycling UK) seems to have a financial relationship with the winner in category 3. Features (written) Dave Walker. "Introduce a friend to Cycling UK and you'll both receive a Dave Walker mug" https://www.cyclinguk.org/introduce-a-friend
• Peter Walker (winner of 4. Features (broadcast)) writes for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/profile/peterwalker ; Dave Walker (Winner of 3. Features (written)) also worked for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jun/28/a-cyclists-guide-to-biking-the-city-a-cartoon ; Laura Laker @laura_laker who co-chaired the expert panel of judges also writes for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/profile/laura-laker
• Peter Walker (winner of 4. Features (broadcast)) and Laura Laker who co-chaired the expert panel of judges even wrote a paper together for The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/bike-blog/2017/oct/21/infrastucture-key-to-future-where-12-year-olds-can-cycle-safely-cycling-minister-jesse-norman

And I know many will say "Igor has a grudge," but ignore Igor for a second and think about the above facts... and ask yourself is this how science and science journalism should work?

"Is this how science journalism works? Is this journalism or activism?"

Definitely the latter and what is so wrong with much of science journalism today.

Thanks Barry Turner !

I asked the same question that journalist. His reply was: "That’s quite simple. I am paid for my journalism. You do the math."

https://twitter.com/carltonreid/status/1308109135540609026

And he is "Press Gazette Transport Journalist of the Year 2018."

So disappointing.

In recent years publishing research results has become a business for large publishers.

Untile we starting believing that Science is not just increasing the score or rating on Scopus, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate:

1. Science IS FOR Society

2. Science IS FOR protecting the environment

3. Science IS FOR ZERO HUNGER

4. Science IS FOR Water Conservation

5. Science IS FOR WASH Practices

6. Science IS FOR fulfilling needs of Society

7. Science IS FOR Health Hygiene

8. Science IS FOR Wildlife

9. Science IS FOR FUTURE