Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community Working with journalists

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 2 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 3 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 4 Variety of strategies  Different media  different target groups  different motives for working with the media –informing the public –changing attitudes –agenda setting

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 5 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 6 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 7 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 8 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 9 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 10 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?

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 11 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 12 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 13 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 14 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)

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 15 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?

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 16 Press release continued Don’t forget:  Embargo if appropriate  Number your pages  Wide margins and spacing  Details of the contact person

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 17 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 18 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 19 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?

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 20 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

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 21 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)

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 22 Summary PForm partnerships with key journalists POrganise your information, be clear and accurate PRemember: What? Who? Where? When? Why? How? PWhat will interest your target group? don’t bore them! PFind a journalist to help plan media strategy

WHO Working with journalists Promoting Rational Drug Use in the Community 23 Activity 1