Turning Sexual Science Into News: Sex Research and the Media

Abstract

In this article we report on the findings of a two-part project investigating contemporary issues in sexuality researchers' interaction with journalists. The goal of the project was to explore best practices and suggest curricular and training initiatives for sexuality researchers and journalists that would enhance the accurate dissemination of sexuality research results in the media. We present the results of a survey of a convenience sample of 94 sexuality researchers about their experiences and concerns regarding media coverage and a summary of the main themes that emerged from an invitational conference of sexuality researchers and journalists. In addition, we present some preliminary recommendations for training and best practices. Topics assessed include reporting accuracy; sex researchers' comfort with various topics, media, and journalists; researchers' perceptions of the purpose and content of articles; concern about the impact of media coverage; and training for sexuality researchers.

Local Media Influence on Opting Out From an Exception From Informed Consent Trial

“…As has been previously suggested, the responsibility for good reporting lies not only with journalists but also with the scientific community in communicating with news media (24, 29, 30). Exception from informed consent researchers and funding agencies might consider budgeting for media training as a means of educating investigators interacting with news media and local reporters covering such research about how to effectively and accurately represent these challenging topics to the public (31). …”

“Craigslist is Nothing More than an Internet Brothel”: Sex Work and Sex Trafficking in U.S. Newspaper Coverage of Craigslist Sex Forums

“…Reported the Los Angeles Times: "After the sentencing, Jou's parents called on Craigslist to bar sex offenders from placing ads on the site or to require them to disclose their convictions in their ads." ("Man gets five years in student's death; John Burgess pleaded guilty in Donna Jou 's 2007disappearance," May 19, 2009.…”

“…Much has been written about crime coverage due to its role as an apparatus of surveillance culture (Parks, 2019), but less scholarly attention has been paid to reportage about sexual subjects in newspapers and news broadcasts. The limited work on sexuality in news media has centered on sex crimes in the pre-Craigslist era (Benedict, 1993;Soothill & Walby, 1991) and sexual science coverage (McBride et al, 2007), with some emerging scholarship focusing on anti-sex trafficking narratives (Galusca, 2012;Gulati, 2011;Sanford et al, 2016). Sex crimes are amplified in the news, with one study finding that sex crimes were fourteen times overrepresented in Scottish newspapers when compared with official crime statistics (Ditton & Duffy, 1983).…”

What is sex journalism or, rather, how does it become? Interviews with news workers on the risk and precarity of a gendered news niche

“…This is lamentable given the topic of sex has 'substantial personal, public and political relevance' and 'accurate and well-articulated' news coverage will arguably improve sexual health outcomes (McBride et al, 2007: 348). Consequently, calls for a reframing of sex discourse (Hatley Major and Walker, 2010) have coincided with recommendations for greater news worker training and improvement (McBride et al, 2007). However, a tendency to focus on the shortcomings of sex news has, with notable exceptions, sidelined the perspectives of journalists who write about sex.…”