Medical Journalism: A Look Inside the Television Tent

Paper presented at the 1st International Symposium on Understanding Health Benefits and Risks: Empowering Patients and Citizens. Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland. May 29, 2009Whether we like it or not, most Americans get a great deal of their medical information from television. This can be both good and bad. Who determines what news gets on TV? Who reports medical news…and how competent are these reporters? Learn the answers to these questions and in the process take a peek inside the television tent. Discover how TV news really works and how television can be a two-edged sword. Find out how stories get on the news and what four factors are important in making news meaningful to viewers. Physicians need to take the lead in communicating important health information to the public especially in the area of risk. Learn what it takes to engage your audience or your patients. In addition, learn the proven techniques the best communicators use to get their key messages across and to appear both warm and credible to those watching. Good communicators are made and not born. Learn the secrets that will make you a great communicator