Abstract
BackgroundExaggerated or simplistic news is often blamed for adversely influencing public health. However, recent findings suggested many exaggerations were already present in university press releases, which scientists approve. Surprisingly, these exaggerations were not associated with more news coverage. Here we test whether these two controversial results also arise in press releases from prominent science and medical journals. We then investigate the influence of mitigating caveats in press releases, to test assumptions that caveats harm news interest or are ignored.Methods and FindingsUsing quantitative content analysis, we analyzed press releases (N = 534) on biomedical and health-related science issued by leading peer-reviewed journals. We similarly analysed the associated peer-reviewed papers (N = 534) and news stories (N = 582). Main outcome measures were advice to readers and causal statements drawn from correlational research. Exaggerations in press releases predicted exaggerations in news (odds ratios 2.4 and 10.9, 95% CIs 1.3 to 4.5 and 3.9 to 30.1) but were not associated with increased news coverage, consistent with previous findings. Combining datasets from universities and journals (996 press releases, 1250 news), we found that when caveats appeared in press releases there was no reduction in journalistic uptake, but there was a clear increase in caveats in news (odds ratios 9.6 and 9.5 for caveats for advice and causal claims, CIs 4.1 to 24.3 and 6.0 to 15.2). The main study limitation is its retrospective correlational nature.ConclusionsFor health and science news directly inspired by press releases, the main source of both exaggerations and caveats appears to be the press release itself. However we find no evidence that exaggerations increase, or caveats decrease, the likelihood of news coverage. These findings should be encouraging for press officers and scientists who wish to minimise exaggeration and include caveats in their press releases.
Highlights
Press releases have long been used as ’information subsidies’ to facilitate science news [1], and have become the dominant link between academia and the media [2,3]
For health and science news directly inspired by press releases, the main source of both exaggerations and caveats appears to be the press release itself
Press releases based on possible relevance to human health, psychology or neuroscience were identified for studies published in the following journals, for the entire year of 2011: Lancet, British Medical Journal (BMJ), Science, Nature, Nature Neuroscience, Nature Immunology, Nature Medicine, and Nature Genetics
Summary
Press releases have long been used as ’information subsidies’ to facilitate science news [1], and have become the dominant link between academia and the media [2,3]. As structural changes to the news industry’s revenues and profitability have put pressure on staffing levels, journalists are expected to produce more copy in less time Due to these economic contexts, journalists in general, and science/medical journalists in particular, routinely use the content of press releases in their news stories, often without sufficient checks and research to independently evaluate the claims [4,5,6,7,8,9]. Information and quotes in a press release are highly likely to be included in related news [18]. Recent findings suggested many exaggerations were already present in university press releases, which scientists approve These exaggerations were not associated with more news coverage. We investigate the influence of mitigating caveats in press releases, to test assumptions that caveats harm news interest or are ignored
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