Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists

New Directions in News: Listen Up!

A listening exercise, allowing healthcare officials, nonprofits and grassroots organizations, government officials and journalists to listen to each other.

Sherylle Linton Jones Breakdown in communications
There is a lot of "hidden danger" during the interview process. A doctor can say a word to mean one thing, and the reporter will interpret it to mean something else. Medical terms sometimes have specialized meaning for healthcare practitioners, and during interviews, those specialized meanings can lead to confusion and reporting errors.

A possible solution
Education and training on both sides are important. Medical reporters need to learn the special terminology. Groups such as PABJ might host forums to help doctors learn how to speak with the press.

Competition among healthcare providers
Small nonprofits don't have the same resources as large healthcare providers, and therefore, don't have the same level of access to the media. Yet much of the assault on disease is taking place at a grassroots level. Grassroots groups sometimes have trouble getting their information into the major media. They are not considered as "reliable" and they are sometimes not known.

A possible solution
Dr. Lawrence Robinson, Philadelphia's deputy health commissioner, recommended that news organizations or groups such as NABJ host "Get to Know Us" sessions in the community, where people can talk directly to journalists. These journalists in turn can connect with ordinary people.

Workshop participants Advantages and disadvantages of technology
E-mails are a good way to connect quickly, but people wondered if the personal touch had been lost. People calling into media offices want to talk to journalists, whom participants urged to make a better connection with people. Reporters and medical personnel stressed the importance of getting out into the community.

The African American press and health issues
Use African American newspapers. Participants also noted that these papers depend heavily on advertising from tobacco companies. Many of the chronic health problems African Americans face stem in some way from tobacco, one doctor said. Is there a way for Pennsylvania and other states to use tobacco settlement dollars to buy ads in black newspapers to counter tobacco advertising?

Participants' thoughts and recommendations:
Why PABJ Chose This Issue
Forum Panel Members
Race: The X Factor
Healthcare Coverage: Politics and the Community
Making the Grade: Is it Ready for Prime Time?
The Untold Story: What Are We Missing?
Cultural Competency: Why it Matters
Putting the Public Back in Public Service Journalism
Mailing List of Participants

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