Health reporting directly impacts common man, avoid sensation: Prof KG Suresh
Workshop on Public Health and Evidence-Based Reporting held by MCU and UNICEF
Bhopal, 13th January, 2021: Vice Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Prof KG Suresh said today that public health reporting directly impacts the citizens and journalists should not create sensation while reporting.
Prof Suresh was addressing a faculty development programme (FDP) on ‘Public Health and Evidence-Based Reporting’ organised by the University and UNICEF jointly. The Vice Chancellor said health communication is a serious and important subject. Content related with fact checking and critical appraisal skills (CAS) training will be incorporated in curriculum. Prof Suresh said health reporters need special training because this is the area that is directly related with human life and public health. Government and NGOs play a critical role in creating awareness on health issues along with media.
Communication expert of UNICEF Shri Anil Gulati underlined the need of evidence-based reporting. A lot of reports have been published in media on Covid-19 cases without referring particular data and have gone viral on social media.
Senior journalist Shri Sanjay Dev called upon media persons to put their biases aside while reporting. Health journalism is related with humanity. A journalist should communicate in simple words.
Senior journalist Shri Sanjay Abhigyan said the purpose of journalism is in fact to write for the life and if it is not so, people will consider ‘Amrit’ as Vish (poison). Readers should not be confused by health reporting. Critical Appraisal Skills (CAS) actually is an evaluation for news and journalists should adopt it. Coordinator Shri LB Ojha conducted the programme. Academic Mentor Dr Manikanthan Nair proposed the vote of thanks. Registrar Prof Avinash Bajpai, teachers of different departments and other staff members were present.
