Media Diversity Institute

By Nicholas Fearn

Over the past few years, there’s been an influx of articles about increasing ADHD and autism diagnoses. But what you may not realise is that lots of the journalists penning these pieces and covering other important topics are themselves neurodivergent.  

In a 2024 survey, conducted by Press Gazette, nearly half of its 136 respondents (64) said they were neurodivergent. The most commonly reported forms of neurodivergence in this study were autism and ADHD.  

Quite simply, someone considered neurodivergent has a differently wired brain compared to neurotypical people. These differences in brain function can make things like socialising and seeing the bigger picture difficult but then result in unique strengths in pattern recognition and hyper-focusing on niche topics. 

For journalists, being neurodivergent often means being able to report on topics from a different perspective and with high technicality. However, a busy newsroom isn’t always the best environment for them. So, what can be done to make news organisations more neurodivergent-friendly? 

Mixed experiences  

Many neurodivergent journalists have experienced a mixture of tolerant and intolerant newsrooms, particularly during the early stages of their careers. When Daily Record reporter Iona Young first st...Read more