Breaking New Grounds in Tobacco Control - Voluntary Health ...

Recommendations

Info

Introduction There are only two forces that can carry light to all the corners of the globe... the sun in the heavens and the media. The news media is recognized as among the world’s most influential and powerful elements. They are irreplaceable as a mechanism for turning a problem into a solution. There is a saying that a tenthousand-watt light turned on a situation focuses the minds of policymakers very fast.” That is why media in a country like India is an important source of health information. The news media plays an important role in advancing independent discussion around policy debates. In a democratic set-up, public policy issues are highlighted in newspapers, magazines and the electronic media to catch the attention of people, policymakers and government officials. It is unfortunate, but true, that in India, most decision makers come to the conclusion that problems exist after the media highlights it. In fact media is the vehicle that shapes public opinion as such it is important to carry frequent and repeated coverages to the public using all mediums, contributing with qualitative messages to help people realize their follies. India has been the focus of the world’s attention this past decade for its economic potential and the huge opportunities the developed world sees in the Asian giant. But health is a key area where India has a long way to go. And the one time bomb that is ticking away is the menace of tobacco, whose use is assuming alarming proportions. In the twentieth century, the tobacco industry constantly worked at creating new customers For the Millions n 38 The Game Changers: Media in Tobacco Control Binoy Mathew and Jaspreet Kaur Pal for its products. Around the world, billions of rupees were spent on advertising, sponsorship and promotion activities. Mass media had a dubious role in creating new generations of tobacco users, even as evidence mounted about tobacco’s deadly toll on public health. Tobacco advertisements, featuring initially doctors and later, film stars and celebrities were instrumental in making smoking and smokeless tobacco use fashionable, macho, glamourous and alluring. There were also innovative advertisements featuring a range of feminized brands like light, slim cigarettes marketed at women, associating smoking with emancipation, slimness, modernity, and sophistication. In present times, when the scope and potential of communication exchange has expanded and evolved, harnessing the media’s power to discourage tobacco use is one of the major public health challenges of the new century. Given the potential of the media as a channel of influence, media advocacy can give rise to significant policy changes that prioritize strategic efforts towards tobacco control. Realizing this, public health and tobacco control advocates, are beginning to successfully befriend and use the media to influence how the public and policymakers attend to and prioritize tobacco-related issues. The relationship between news coverage on tobacco and coverage of other public health issues is an important subject that largely has been ignored, particularly as it pertains to the potential impact on behavioral and policy change. The competition for space within the “news hole” is likely to be most fierce across topics that public health advocates would ideally treat as complementary.
Starting with humble, though committed efforts, today tobacco issues are increasingly becoming newsworthy in India and have the capacity to frame discussions on crucial issues among both policymakers, civil society and the general public. A major public health challenge today is finding a way to harness the powerful influence of the media to curtail tobacco use. As media expands beyond traditional channels such as newspapers, magazines, radio, and television to the internet and interactive video gaming, the challenge is even more urgent. Both tobacco control and tobacco industry forces are using the media to influence the attitudes and behaviour of the public in India. The industry for long has seen the media as the key to its success. It is time for the same media to turn the tables and reverse the trend. Stories that Changed the Game Understanding the need of the hour to use media tools in a way that results into policy action; several interesting strategies are often put into play. For example, organizations working in this sector use study-based findings or investigative approaches to highlight issues which can directly have a policy impact and be a critical driver in decision making. In this digital age of information overflow, it is certainly very crucial to use tools intelligently so as to grab eye balls and at the same time fulfill underlying objectives. • A case in point is the Air Quality Monitoring (AQM) study. AQM has been considered as an effective tool for Smoke-Free Advocacy Campaigns to monitor Second Hand Smoke exposure in public places in order to support the need for strong smoke free policies, strict enforcement and high compliance with the law. An AQM study undertaken by VHAI provided substantive data on air quality in public places like restaurants and bars. The study and the wide media coverage received in India helped strengthen the Smoke-Free Advocacy Campaign for smoke free settings. The media was very interested as this was the first study of its type in India. n 39 January - March & April - June 2012
Page 1 and 2: Jan.-Mar. & Apr.-June 2012, Vol. 38
Page 3 and 4: Editorial Tobacco use has emerged a
Page 5 and 6: Addressing Gaps in Legal Provisions
Page 7 and 8: can be given for promoting tobacco
Page 9 and 10: PC, Eissenberg T, et al. Non-Cigare
Page 11 and 12: Sl. No. Name of the State/UT Name o
Page 13 and 14: 18 languages for the national campa
Page 15 and 16: spent nearly Rs.112 crore over a pe
Page 17 and 18: • • • issues concerning their
Page 19 and 20: Background Tax Advocacy in Tobacco
Page 21 and 22: Most smoked tobacco products in Ind
Page 23 and 24: A Glimpse of the Tax Increase in 11
Page 25 and 26: Introduction Enforcing Smoke Free R
Page 27 and 28: advocacy efforts have been initiate
Page 29 and 30: compound the office under section 4
Page 31 and 32: Role of Compliance Studies and Opin
Page 33 and 34: public attitude can be gauged by op
Page 35 and 36: implementing smoke-free public plac
Page 37 and 38: well as background images such as b
Page 39: • New films and television progra
Page 43 and 44: of time.. They need to be provided
Page 45 and 46: Alternative Livelihoods for Bidi Wo
Page 47 and 48: they applied for bank gradation and
Page 49 and 50: the group will not only be able to
Page 51 and 52: and children suffer much more for a
Page 53 and 54: • • • • media coverage nati
Page 55 and 56: counselor and client, the more succ
Page 57 and 58: At the first follow-up meeting, aft
Page 59 and 60: Research News Feature: Summary of R
Page 61 and 62: • • • • The complex tax str
Page 63 and 64: 553 billion bidis were consumed in
Page 65 and 66: • • Quartiles of exposure to to
Page 67 and 68: National News Smokeless tobacco cla
Page 69 and 70: of ban on tobacco chewing and smoki
Page 71 and 72: in Shahjahanpur, Jhunjhunu and Gola
Page 73 and 74: “The adverse health effects of to
Page 75 and 76: entertainment (28 per cent), follow
Page 77 and 78: Orientation to Vietnam Parliamentar
Page 79 and 80: Cancer Caused by Tobacco and Non-to
Page 81 and 82: Standards (Prohibition and Restrict
Page 83 and 84: Advocacy Package on Tobacco Control

Breaking New Grounds in Tobacco Control - Voluntary Health ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?