ABSTRACT
This chapter examines online science video to identify the presence and function of entertainment, noting its long history in television content. Major entertainment and infotainment devices—stories, humour, images and celebrities—are discussed as communication devices that television content producers use to make science more accessible to mass audiences. Next, the authors examine how the four entertainment elements are incorporated in online videos. From a content analysis of 826 videos, the authors draw tentative conclusions associated with the extent of the use of entertainment elements in the representation of three contemporary scientific topics—climate change, nanotechnology and vaccine immunisation. Specific attention is given to identifying the content producers (e.g. science institutions, television companies, user content generators) most likely to use entertainment in online productions, how topic selection might influence the use of entertainment to communicate the science, and which entertainment elements are most prevalent in online science videos. The findings suggest that, although entertainment and infotainment are rarely the sole communication purpose in online science video, many online content creators incorporate one or two elements to communicate serious messages. However, both the type of content producer and the scientific theme discussed in the video may also have a bearing on the use and type of entertainment devices found in online science videos.
