HIV/AIDS in News – Journalists as Catalysts - United Nations ...

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HIV/AIDS in News – Journalists as Catalysts
Vijaya Karnataka also carried a small announcement of an innovative phone-in programme
by Akashvani addressing queries on preventing parent to child transmission
of the virus. However, the headline did not indicate the nature of the programme,
which might have resulted in a lesser number of people tuning in to the
programme.
There was an inspirational story in Vijaya Karnataka about a girl named Asha who
discovered she was HIV positive within months of her marriage and was now working
with an NGO to help other infected people. The story conveyed hope and was
well done.
Human interest stories,
done properly, make
interesting reading and
are able to provide a
face to the numbers
issue. The accounts of
infected people living productive
lives convey a
hopeful approach in a
scenario that is otherwise
considered bleak
OVERALL COMMENTS & RECOMMENDATIONS
The survey reveals that the coverage of HIV/AIDS issues is not of high priority in the
Karnataka media. The reporting is scanty and sporadic. While one may take comfort in
the growing number of stories on the subject, yet most are passive, spot reports that
are fairly simplistic and of a routine nature. Qualitative/opinion making/advocacy related
coverage is limited.
Human interest stories, done properly, make interesting reading and are able to provide
a face to the numbers issue. The accounts of infected people living productive
lives convey a hopeful approach in a scenario that is otherwise considered bleak.
The focus of coverage needs to be on ‘what next’ and not on ‘how’ the virus was
contracted.
Most news reports look at HIV/AIDS in isolation, without any supporting assessment
of the quality of life of those affected. It could in fact be integrated into the
general coverage by newspapers on health and quality of life. There was only one
such article, in the Kannada daily Udayavani.
News events or stories that have scope for more detailed inquiry into the various
dimensions of the epidemic were seldom exploited. These need to be followed up
and developed.
The publishing of so-called “cures” for HIV/AIDS needs to be critically explored.
Such items need to be verified and cross-checked, not treated as any other product.
There was no sharing of information on HIV/AIDS between sister-publications, such
as The Deccan Herald and Prajavani.
Cartoons or health capsules are a rich source to inform and raise awareness.
However, there was not a single cartoon or health capsule which focussed on
HIV/AIDS during the survey period.
The red ribbon logo associated with HIV/AIDS attracts the eye wherever it has been
used and needs to be encouraged.
While it is necessary to report cases of suicides and murders of people living with
HIV/AIDS, these also provide the opportunity for social-interest messages to be car-