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Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
Working with journalists
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
2WHO
Session objectives Understand the role journalists can play Discuss differences (cultural/language) Use some key principles to make
cooperation and partnership with journalists more effective, including– how to represent a topic convincingly
– awareness of attitudes which can make journalists defensive
– your rights when giving information
Organise press release/conference Practise skills
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
3WHO
What can journalists do? Journalists can:
– be important and informed advocates on health issues
– help you to get information across effectively
– Simplify complex issues and relate them to people’s lives
– but can also undermine or misinterpret your message
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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Variety of strategies
Different media different target groups different motives for working with the
media– informing the public– changing attitudes– agenda setting
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How to make effective use of the media
Understand the context and
audience (Rural? Urban? What is
the culture?)
Purpose? Know what you want to
get across
How to get it across
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How to make effective use of the media
Know what you want to get across
A story on problems observed in field
Results from operational research
pressure on a company to change its
pricing policy
A simple warning of potential hazards
or providing information
lobby for policy change
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
7WHO
How to make effective use of the media
How to get it across
interesting topic
accuracy and clarity
accessibility and interest
simplify the work of the journalist
cultivate personal contacts
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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How to make effective use of the media
Varying access to mass media - TV In Latin America and the Caribbean
on average about 25% of people watch television regularly
In sub-Saharan Africa only 5% of people watch television
An average American watches so much television that he or she will see 150,000 advertisements in his or her lifetime
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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Making personal contacts
Study the media to identify journmalists: Who writes about health? Who appears to be interested in your topics?
Build up relationship and trust carefully
You and the journalist have the same goal: Informing the public about public health
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10WHO
Your rights
to know what questions will be asked
to check and correct
not to be misquoted or misrepresented
to be off the record if this has been agreed– compare country experiences
– are there national codes?
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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Ethical issues
Journalist responsibilities:– accuracy of information
– respecting reasonable privacy
– protecting their sources
Consumer and community advocates– providing accurate information– acting in the interest of group they
represent– respecting the privacy of individuals
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Press release
The five Ws:
What is happening?
Who is doing it?
Where and how is it happening?
When is it happening?
Why is it happening?– Discuss differences language/culture
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Press release continued
The style of your press release:– Use active verbs rather than passive– Use short sentences– Use quotations– Be positive rather than negative if
you have a choice– Avoid abbreviations and jargon– Be clear, brief and to the point
•cultural differences
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
14WHO
Exercise 1: Develop a press release In pairs, write a press release for a
daily newspaper about this course (20m.)
Swap your press release with the pair next to you. Compare, and give each other feedback – agree what you would ”steal” from each other to make a good product (10 min)
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Exercise 2: Presenting your story to a local journalist
Choose a topic from your field work, building on what you did on Monday
Your task is to meet the journalist and make him/her interested in writing a story about your topic
Decide: How to get the journalist ”hooked” What information to present What strategy to use to deal with the j. What additional sources of info
needed?
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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Press release continued
Don’t forget: Embargo if appropriate
Number your pages
Wide margins and spacing
Details of the contact person
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Organising a press conference
Choose a convenient time and location– you may have to take account of deadlines– you should choose a place which can be found
easily
Get your invitations to people on time Be properly prepared Choose your speakers carefully Speak briefly - leave lots of time for
questions
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18WHO
Make the most of the press conference
Get names/addresses of those
attending
Try to talk to some of them
individually
This will help you to develop your
press list and personal contacts
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
19WHO
What about a “bad press”Possible reasons: You identified the wrong journalist You offended the journalist You made a poor impression and did
not get your case across Powerful interests are against you
– Discuss other reasons– What can you do about it?
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
20WHO
Legal issues - you can be vulnerable
Don’t break the law Watch out for slander and libel Only use good data Avoid quoting people without
permission If you are quoting from a source
make it clear
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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Critical journalists develop strategies to deal with drug promotion “news”Drug specific strategies include:
– being sceptical of claims in company press releases
– checking information with doctors, patient or disease groups or other sources
– consulting rival drug companies– consulting medical reference books– checking to see if a drug was included in a
national or provincial formulary (example from Canada)
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Summary Form partnerships with key
journalists Organise your information, be clear
and accurate Remember: What? Who? Where?
When? Why? How? What will interest your target group?
don’t bore them! Find a journalist to help plan media
strategy
Working with journalistsPromoting Rational Drug Use in the Community
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Activity 1
Press release scoring sheet(1-10, 10 being the highest)
Clarity Brevity Interest StructureKeycomponents
Press release 1
Press release 2
Press release 3