The Assembly, a new ABC documentary series , introduces us to a diverse group of autistic people who are interested in pursuing journalism careers. The first episode strikes a nice balance between introducing the Macquarie University students, showing their classroom experience and an interview with a celebrity – in this episode, New Zealand actor Sam Neill. Other interview subjects in the series include singer Delta Goodrem, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and footballer Adam Goodes.
The students are mentored by journalist Leigh Sales. This could have been another cringey reality TV show using autistic people, like myself, to entertain neurotypical people, focusing on their quirks and challenges. The first episode does have one at-home segment with a student’s mother, which jarred a little for me.
But predominantly it shows trainee journalists being encouraged to develop and ask their own questions, about things that interest them. It’s a welcome change from programs which seem to focus on teaching autistic participants to act less autistic. Here’s what the program does well (based on watching the first episode) and what it demonstrates about autism in study and work settings .
Autistic strengths on display Contrary to the stereotype that autistic people are all obsessed with numbers , many autistic people have extensive vocabularies and advanced writing skills . When Neill turns the interview around and asks the team what they have in common, student Stephanie’s r.