The media is incredibly powerful in influencing people's attitudes and understanding of HIV.

Stories in the media can have a positive effect in increasing people's awareness of HIV and what it means to live with HIV. However media reports about HIV are often stigmatising or inaccurate. Many stories contribute to a culture of blame about HIV transmission, focusing on so-called irresponsible sexual activity, use judgmental language and stereotype people living with HIV.

Improving the media's coverage of HIV issues is vital to tackle discrimination experienced by people living with HIV, improve people's knowledge and help prevent the spread of the virus.

NAT works in a number of ways to improve the media's reporting of HIV.

Educating Journalists

NAT has produce a number of resources to help journalists make sure that the articles that they write contain accurate information about HIV, are not misleading and do not encourage negative perceptions about HIV.

NAT worked with the National Union of Journalists to produce Guidelines on Reporting HIV which provides practical information on how to report about HIV in an accurate and non-stigmatising way.  A follow-up to this produced in 2009, Guidelines on HIV: Supplementary Information, contains more detailed information for journalists about HIV testing, the risks of transmission from spitting, biting and discarded needles, as well as evidence to show that the claims of HIV health-tourism are unfounded.

We also work directly with the media and with journalism colleges to improve journalists' knowledge and understanding.

Challenging poor reporting

NAT works behind the scenes to change how journalists report HIV.

We monitor the press daily and if we see reports that are inaccurate or stigmatising towards people living with HIV then we intervene to achieve lasting improvements. By writing to editors, challenging poor reporting, providing information for journalists and working with the Press Complaints Commission we have successfully achieved lasting changes in the approaches a number of national and local newspapers take to reporting HIV.

How you can help

If you are living with HIV then you can help us challenge inaccurate and stigmatising media coverage and provide a human face to HIV in the UK by joining Press Gang.

Press Gang is a group of people living with HIV working together with support from NAT to improve how the media portrays HIV and people living with HIV.

As a member of Press Gang you will be alerted to stigmatising coverage and given advice on contacting journalists, making a complaint, getting a letter to the editor published and sharing your story.

Please email press@nat.org.uk for more information about joining Press Gang.