This is a GREAT idea (talking to journalism classes).
To help us all, do you have notes from your presentation that you could put
in an e-mail (attachments not accepted through Click4HP)? If they won't
work in the e-mail message itself, but could be sent to private e-mails
(and you were willing to do this), could you announce that as well and we
can contact you privately if we'd like to have them?
Thanks,
Tasha Beauchamp
>Hi all,
>
>Dennis Raphael posted a press release here a couple of days ago which
>dealt with Michael Hayes' (Simon Fraser University, Canada) comments
>and studies relating to the media's "tunnel vision" (i.e. coverage
>dealing more issues of the medical model, rather than
>preventive/health promotion approaches). None of this should come as
>much of a surprise to those of us working in HP. What it does do
>however, is suggest that media is a potentially huge "contributor
>domain" to the health of populations and of course individuals. Many
>of us over the years have been offered courses on how to deal with the
>media, getting us to try to "think like them", understand their
>"realities", learn about their deadlines and even thinking in "sound
>bites" or "factoids".
>
>My point here is that while most of us in HP think we understand the
>role media have to play (think back to our early social marketing days
>- and I'm sure many of my fellow Canadians will remember the
>ParticipAction ads of the 1970s burned in their brains), we rarely
>truly think of them as allies just needing some educating.
>
>The press release mentioned: [...snip...] "We found that an
>overwhelming number of health stories in major newspapers deal
>obsessively with shortages in healthcare services and funding, and
>medical discoveries." [...snip...]
>
>With all do respect to Mr. Hayes, I don't think this itself is news
>(excuse the pun! : ) and while I appreciate more formal research - at
>quite an expense might I add - is going in to this, I would like to
>encourage us *all* to take every opportunity possible to make links
>with the media and help them learn *our* realities. For example, for a
>few a few years now I have spoken to a Carleton University (Ottawa,
>Canada) class of fourth year Journalism students on the topic of the
>determinants of health - mainly in western society. I was astounded
>last time around at how many upcoming journalists thought that they
>themselves probably won't be allowed to decide how stories should be
>covered or written. I was literally in shock at the thought that what
>I thought was the next generation of "watchdogs of our society", had
>lost their idealism before even graduating. "The editorial policies of
>the papers we'll be working for are already set you know!"
>
>The press release goes on the add [...snip...] "Research shows that
>risk factors for mortality as presented in the media often don't jive
>at all with the empirical evidence," says Hayes. He adds this kind of
>reporting feeds public pressure for short term, immediate solutions
>to health care shortages. Policy makers need to second the news
>media's help in shifting public opinion if we are to focus on early
>developmental and life long factors that influence health outcomes
>over the life course, says Hayes.
>
>Well I would guess so! (to both points he raises there) I think it's
>up to more than just the policy makers to bring journalists on-board.
>How can we blame them anyhow for thinking what most of the population
>thinks?
>
>I guess that's my point ...let's all get out there and get them as
>soon as possible with the right educational messages. Volunteer to
>speak in university and college journalism classes. Research studies
>are fine (and needed I am sure), but with little effort, we can all
>make links with journalists. Not just when we need them to cover a
>story for us or when we advocate for a cause, but to help them make
>sense of what - let’s be honest here - is not the most intuitive of
>concepts to grasp.
>
>While there may have been a few cynics in the room, there definitely
>were also a few who I saw a light bulb turn on when I started giving
>them a framework to deal with all this stuff about multisectoral
>determinants of health. A couple of them even thanked me for helping
>them make sense of “these complicated issues”, as they said. Course
>instructors are often on the lookout for guest speakers and I am sure
>would appreciate your time.
>
>Just thought I'd share this story while stuck in the middle of winter
>still here in Ottawa, Canada! Hope it’s warmer where you are!
>
>Regards to all,
>JM Dupont
>
>--
>Jean-Marc Dupont
>The Alder Group
>...promoting health and innovation
>
>1306 Wellington Street Suite 200
>Ottawa Ontario K1Y 3B2 Canada
>Tel +613.241.8755 Fax +613.241.8847
>http://www.aldergroup.com
>
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Natasha Beauchamp
Project Coordinator
ORegon Center for Applied Science, Inc. (ORCAS)
1839 Garden Ave.
Eugene, OR 97405
Tel: (541) 342-7227
Toll Free: (888) 349-5472
Fax: (541) 342-4270
mailto:[log in to unmask]
Website: http://www.orcasinc.com
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