New look at medical journalism … by the experts

A panel of expert journalists and communications researchers will tackle the problem of “responsible health journalism – rationality versus emotion” at a University of Queensland public seminar on Tuesday, August 23.

The seminar’s keynote speaker will be the university’s adjunct professor Dr Norman Swan, who presents the Health Report on ABC Radio National.

“There are no areas more fraught when it comes to media coverage than health and medicine,” says Dr Swan.

“There is enormous public interest and demand for independent information; the medical-industrial complex spends a lot of money pushing its views to journalists; and the science isn`t necessarily up to scratch.

“On top of this, health information is rarely received rationally by any of us. It`s all about emotion,” he says.

Dr Swan’s keynote talk will address the topic: “How on earth can journalists make sense of this jungle, much less the audiences for their stories?”

Dr Swan will be joined by experienced journalist academics Dr Rhonda Breit and Dr John Cokley, and health communications researcher Dr Susan McKay.

Media-ethics specialist Dr Breit says that good medical journalism represents an invitation for the public to think carefully about medical issues, and so correct and thoughtful reporting is vital to this process.

Health communications researcher Dr Susan McKay is especially interested in the area of the media and health messages.

And media delivery expert Dr Cokley will discuss audiences’ needs – and how we know about them – in the medical journalism field.

Expert public relations practitioner Ms Amanda Newberry will join the panel as well, on behalf of communications firm BBS, along with Ms Rada Rouse, medical news reporter for the national magazine Medical Observer Weekly.

The panel will be chaired by the head of the university’s School of Journalism and Communication, Professor Jan Servaes, and the executive dean of the university’s Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Peter Brooks.

Date: Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Place: INNES ROOM, Union Complex
University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus
Time: 2.00pm-5pm

Members of the university community and the general public are invited to attend this free seminar with refreshments to follow.

Visit the websites at http://www.uq.edu.au/sjc/events http://www.uq.edu.au/health/ (News)
For further information, please contact: Jan King,UQ Communications, telephone 07 3365 1120 or Ms Jennifer Poulter, School of Journalism and Communication
telephone 3346 9564 or email: j.poulter@uq.edu.au