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sessed a keen understanding of the dynamics of the relationship between
scientists and popularization, tracing much of scientists' uneasiness to
their discomfort with popular formats: “It is a distrust of 'sensational
presentation', so called; because of the form rather than the quality of the
presentation that lies behind the indefinite criticisms that are sometimes
directed to our work.” 17
Avoiding the “careless and unintelligent simplification” that can dis-
tort meaning is the first line of defense against such criticism, Davis
wrote, and so he routinely conducted internal assessments of the organi-
zation's performance, emphasizing accuracy as the foremost news
value. 18 All external complaints by either readers or sources were “con-
scientiously recorded upon the filed copy of the [news] report.” 19 The
conclusion of one survey of Science Service's daily news reports in
1929-30 reflects pride in such vigilance: “in only 36 instances out of
1707 stories issued were any criticisms recorded. Over half of these were
what might be called typographical errors and many of them were caught
by our own staff rather than outsiders.” 20
During the 1920s, Davis had begun to shape the organization toward
a more relaxed relationship with industry, corporate public relations
sources, and advertising firms. As an engineer, he was comfortable, per-
haps even enamored, with the new industrialists of science; he estab-
lished cordial working relationships with corporate executives at Du
Pont, General Electric, and similar companies. He became friends with
public relations guru Edward L. Bernays and advertising executive Ivy
Lee. Once director, Davis thus continued on a path he had already begun
to blaze, accommodating popularization to the social, cultural, and eco-
nomic realities of the time. This approach is evident in the content pub-
lished in the 1930s. Cooperation with publicists and corporate interests
seemed the right thing to do. After all, Davis and the rest of the staff per-
ceived themselves as engaged in their own public relations campaign - to
17 W. Davis to F.J. Schlink, American Standards Association, May 12, 1930; SIA
RU7091, Box 119, Folder 3.
18 Ibid.
19 Ibid.; the records of the Daily Mail Report often contain correspondence discussing
published errors or scientists' complaints.
20 Ibid.; Davis's raw notes and data for this analysis are located in SIA RU7091, Box
129, Folder 11.
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