Trends in American Newspaper Coverage of Autism

The public\u27s understanding of disabilities is cultivated via several media resources, including news media. Disability scholars often cite negative representations of disabilities in mass media, yet analyses of newspaper journalists\u27 coverage of autism remain scarce. The present study explores the frames, stereotypes, stigmatizing cues, and individuals cited in news coverage of autism through a content analysis of The New York Times and USA Today coverage of autism from 2013-2016. The findings revealed that episodic frames are consistently utilized to discuss autism. References to abnormal social tendencies and coupling autism with adverse circumstances were the most common stereotypes in newspaper coverage. The study’s results show that the presence of stigmatizing cues increased over time, with label references representing the most common stigmatizing cue. Episodic coverage was more stigmatizing than thematic news coverage. Medical professional and journalist sources were most present in news coverage. Theoretical and practical applications for media and disability scholars are discussed

A liberated NHS – but will it lead Health and Social Care together or force them apart?

This article is based on a leadership seminar held by the National Skills Academy (Social Care) in July 2010 at which delegates representing local authorities, the independent social care sector, voluntary organisations, central government and academia considered the impact of integrated working on social care leadership. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the authors

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