News editors in Cambodia attended a workshop, organized by Internews Europe, on how to improve news coverage of HIV/AIDS. (Photo: Internews)Internews Press Release
(Sihanoukville, Cambodia, December 1, 2006). When HIV/AIDS activists encountered news editors in this seaside town at an editors’ workshop recently, there was sometimes heated debate on how to improve news coverage of HIV/AIDS.
The workshop for print and broadcast news editors, “Improving news coverage of HIV/AIDS,” held in Sihanoukville Province November 24-26, was organized as part of Internews Europe’s Mekong regional program funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), A diverse group of Cambodian editors from six newspapers, four radio stations and four magazines debated with six HIV-positive activists representing soldiers, men who have sex with men (MSM) and women including lesbians and sex workers.
Guest speakers from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Cambodia’s National AIDS Authority (NAA) broadened editors’ understanding of how to cover HIV/AIDS the weekend before World AIDS Day (December 1). A UNAIDS representative cautioned editors to think critically of reports that Cambodia is a “success” in terms of HIV/AIDS due to its alleged reduced prevalence rate. “We have success but it can change any time,” she said, citing the case of Uganda where, after reports of success, the problem is now growing again.
One activist countered with advice for UNAIDS and editors to be careful about publishing statistics, saying, “I think you have to be careful before publishing figures. Be sure it is accurate. Figures are there but sometimes you need to look at what the reality is on the ground.”
The Secretary-General for the National AIDS Authority (NAA) told media managers he plans to raise money to support media coverage of HIV/AIDS, addressing one of the obstacles identified by editors and activists—lack of money.
Commitment, terminology, culture and money were identified among the greatest obstacles to overcome. Gathering information is difficult because of a cultureof stigma and shame. “In the community, positive villagers don’t want to talk to outsiders,” said one speaker. An added problem, according to HIV/AIDS activists, is that people do not pay serious attention to the voices of HIV-positive people.
Editors agreed journalists lack commitment, explaining they work independently, with no funding. “They spend less time on stories because of financial constraints,” explained one editor. Some editors said that NGOs could fund advocacy, education and information and round-table discussions. One editor suggested a rewards program, saying, “Journalists have the commitment but need [financial] incentives.”
Solutions to the media’s financial woes are complicated by ethical issues. Editors were guarded when asked about the practice of exchanging money—with individuals, NGOs, businesspeople, officials and others—for new stories. However, some were receptive to further discussions on how advertising, sales and NGO support could enable them to pay their journalists professional wages.
Editors’ suggestions for the future reflected some understanding of problems raised by HIV/AIDS activists. In their choice of language, reporters should be sensitive to the feelings of people living with HIV/AIDS and should also be concise and clear. Coverage, editors said, could be improved if journalists did more field visits to positive communities.
Cooperation among the media, NGOs and HIV-positive communities is needed to build contacts, skills and knowledge. One editor suggested forming a media working group to coordinate the coverage of different angles of this important social issue. He added an offer of free advertising to one women’s income-generation project. The meeting itself provided links between the media and HIV-positive community, with promises to extend contacts and continue to build trust.
A veteran radio journalist concluded “HIV/AIDS is important for [the media], the community, humanity. It is a hot news story. We already identified the constraints and some solutions… What is important is, ‘What is the role of journalists to report on HIV/AIDS?’ We should have technology, means, a different methodology, good cooperation… and a response based on reality.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Lyndal Barry, Mekong Country Director, Internews Europe at: lbarry@internews.org
The workshop for print and broadcast news editors, “Improving news coverage of HIV/AIDS,” held in Sihanoukville Province November 24-26, was organized as part of Internews Europe’s Mekong regional program funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), A diverse group of Cambodian editors from six newspapers, four radio stations and four magazines debated with six HIV-positive activists representing soldiers, men who have sex with men (MSM) and women including lesbians and sex workers.
Guest speakers from the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and Cambodia’s National AIDS Authority (NAA) broadened editors’ understanding of how to cover HIV/AIDS the weekend before World AIDS Day (December 1). A UNAIDS representative cautioned editors to think critically of reports that Cambodia is a “success” in terms of HIV/AIDS due to its alleged reduced prevalence rate. “We have success but it can change any time,” she said, citing the case of Uganda where, after reports of success, the problem is now growing again.
One activist countered with advice for UNAIDS and editors to be careful about publishing statistics, saying, “I think you have to be careful before publishing figures. Be sure it is accurate. Figures are there but sometimes you need to look at what the reality is on the ground.”
The Secretary-General for the National AIDS Authority (NAA) told media managers he plans to raise money to support media coverage of HIV/AIDS, addressing one of the obstacles identified by editors and activists—lack of money.
Commitment, terminology, culture and money were identified among the greatest obstacles to overcome. Gathering information is difficult because of a cultureof stigma and shame. “In the community, positive villagers don’t want to talk to outsiders,” said one speaker. An added problem, according to HIV/AIDS activists, is that people do not pay serious attention to the voices of HIV-positive people.
Editors agreed journalists lack commitment, explaining they work independently, with no funding. “They spend less time on stories because of financial constraints,” explained one editor. Some editors said that NGOs could fund advocacy, education and information and round-table discussions. One editor suggested a rewards program, saying, “Journalists have the commitment but need [financial] incentives.”
Solutions to the media’s financial woes are complicated by ethical issues. Editors were guarded when asked about the practice of exchanging money—with individuals, NGOs, businesspeople, officials and others—for new stories. However, some were receptive to further discussions on how advertising, sales and NGO support could enable them to pay their journalists professional wages.
Editors’ suggestions for the future reflected some understanding of problems raised by HIV/AIDS activists. In their choice of language, reporters should be sensitive to the feelings of people living with HIV/AIDS and should also be concise and clear. Coverage, editors said, could be improved if journalists did more field visits to positive communities.
Cooperation among the media, NGOs and HIV-positive communities is needed to build contacts, skills and knowledge. One editor suggested forming a media working group to coordinate the coverage of different angles of this important social issue. He added an offer of free advertising to one women’s income-generation project. The meeting itself provided links between the media and HIV-positive community, with promises to extend contacts and continue to build trust.
A veteran radio journalist concluded “HIV/AIDS is important for [the media], the community, humanity. It is a hot news story. We already identified the constraints and some solutions… What is important is, ‘What is the role of journalists to report on HIV/AIDS?’ We should have technology, means, a different methodology, good cooperation… and a response based on reality.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Lyndal Barry, Mekong Country Director, Internews Europe at: lbarry@internews.org
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