[CyberFonic]

Not exactly the answer you are looking, but in my view:

Academic research is focused on extending / expanding the knowledge in a very specific and often narrow field. The papers are written for other scholars working in the same or related fields. The desired result is the amplification of knowledge in that field.

Journalists are focused on disseminating information on timely matters to a broad audience. When journalists report on material from academic papers, then need to translate the material so that non-specialists can comprehend the core concepts presented in the papers. In order to do perform this role well, journalists need to have at least undergraduate level knowledge in the relevant fields.

Academic scholars have 10+ years experience in their specialist fields, there is no way that you can easily bridge the knowledge gap to that of the general public. That is why journalists are trained to write simply and to use a basic vocabulary.