Autism and the press

Public interest in autism has grown in recent years. However, as new scientific and medical research emerges, journalists face the task of explaining scientific jargon in a manner that can be easily understood.

Their stories must also engage the readers’ interest and meet uncompromising deadlines. These pressures may distort accuracy, sensationalise and create misconceptions about autism.

Popular press articles tend to focus on one issue at a time. Because of this they may fail to provide enough background material to explain the bigger picture.

If you are a practising journalist, media studies student or just wanting to get your story into the public domain, you will find my professional website of interest.  It contains a wide range of useful articles. These include:

• an essay on Fake News which I’m currently expanding to include the threat it poses to free debate.
• an updated and comprehensive article on News Values – first compiled in 1999. This explains what makes a story newsworthy.
• a range of useful media tips for those wanting to work in the changing world of news journalism.