November Seminar Offers Advice for Communicating Health News

Cancer, diet, drugs, and a host of other health issues make headlines every day, but how to grab the attention of those who write the front page stories? Public information officers and public relations managers can pick up some advice from top reporters at a 2 November seminar sponsored by EurekAlert!, AAAS's editorially independent online global news service, and Spectrum Science Communications.

"Communicating Health News Across the Media Spectrum," at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., is the third annual special seminar for PIOs hosted by EurekAlert! As in past years, journalists from print, broadcast and Internet media will offer their thoughts on what resources they need to report a story, how they like (and hate) to have a story pitched to them, and how their particular media outlet covers health and science news.

This year's speakers include:

• Glenn O'Neal, Health & Medicine Assignment Editor, USA Today

• Sally Squires, Nationally Syndicated Lean Plate Club Columnist, Nutrition & Health Writer, Washington Post

• Ed Tobias, Assistant Managing Editor, Associated Press Broadcast

• Adam Voiland, Health, Medicine & Nutrition Reporter, U.S. News & World Report

• Michael Waldholz, Managing Editor, Global Health, Science & Environment, Bloomberg News

• Rea Blakey, Media Training Consultant (moderator)

This year's theme of health communications is a switch from past seminars, which discussed research communications more broadly. "We welcome the opportunity to provide tools in an area of science reporting that increasingly emerges as a focus for the public," said EurekAlert! communications officer Rahman Culver.

Becky Ham

28 September 2007