The Preprint, the Press Release and the Headline
A university sends a press release: a preprint (not yet peer-reviewed) reports that a common food additive "doubles the risk" of a condition in mice. The absolute numbers: 4 cases per 10,000 in the control group versus 8 per 10,000 in the exposed group. The release headline says "Common additive linked to disease - experts urge caution." Your news editor wants a 90-second TV package and a web story by 18:00. A rival has already run "Additive doubles disease risk." The study's lead author, when you call, confirms the mouse findings but says "we can't say anything about human risk from this."
1. How do you frame the "doubles the risk" claim for the web story?
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Translate the relative risk into absolute terms and flag the evidence level.
- "Doubles the risk" is a relative statement: 4 → 8 per 10,000. In absolute terms that is an extra 4 cases per 10,000 - a small absolute change even if the relative figure is real.
- It is a preprint in mice: not peer-reviewed, and animal findings frequently don't transfer to humans. The lead author says it can't speak to human risk.
Headline should not assert a human link. Example: "Mouse study, not yet peer-reviewed, reports higher disease rate with common additive - authors say human risk unknown."
Include the absolute figures early, name the study type, and quote the author's caveat. Do not adopt the rival's framing.
2. What goes in the 90-second TV package, and what do you do about the rival's coverage?
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TV package (90s) priorities:
- Lead with what was actually found (mice, preprint, absolute numbers), not the scare figure.
- Include the author's own caveat on air - it is the most important line.
- Give context: what would be needed to establish human risk (peer review, human studies).
- Avoid emotive stock imagery that implies human harm.
On the rival:
- Do not match an overclaim to stay competitive; being the accurate one is the editorial position.
- You may note that other outlets have reported the study, without repeating the overclaim as fact.
- If the rival's headline is materially misleading, that is not your story to correct unless it causes clear public harm - focus on getting yours right.