NAC engages with the media sector

HIV first emerged in the 1980s. Since then the global HIV pandemic has rarely been out of the news for long. It is still one of the most pressing health challenges facing the world. In the early days of the epidemic little was known about the virus. There was a great deal of fear about how it was spread and many people died from HIV-related illnesses. Today, treatment has revolutionised what it means to live with HIV. 

Someone with HIV who gets tested, is diagnosed early and is treated effectively will not go on to develop AIDS and instead can live a long life, work, exercise, even have a family if they choose. Despite advances in treatment, social attitudes are changing much more slowly. Evidence shows public knowledge of HIV in Zimbabwe is declining and there is a worrying lack of understanding about HIV. The media play an important role in communicating to the public what exactly it means to live with HIV today.

 

The media is incredibly powerful in influencing people's attitudes and understanding of HIV. 

 

Stories in the media can have a positive effect in increasing people's awareness of HIV and what it means to live with HIV. However media reports about HIV are often stigmatising or inaccurate. Many stories contribute to a culture of blame about HIV transmission, focusing on so-called irresponsible sexual activity, use judgmental language and stereotype people living with HIV.

Improving the media's coverage of HIV issues is vital to tackle discrimination experienced by people living with HIV, improve people's knowledge and help prevent the spread of the virus.The National Aids Council (NAC) today held a media HIV/AIDS update to media practitioners in Bulawayo in a bid to engage the media in the halt of HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. This initiative is driven by the national multi- sectoral approach employed by NAC. The goal is one of the fundamental ways of improving the media's reporting of HIV. 

Working with journalists

 

NAC has produce a number of resources to help journalists ensure that the articles they write contain accurate information about HIV, are not misleading and do not encourage negative perceptions about HIV.

"Today we as NAC have initiated a quarterly meeting with the media sector in Bulawayo as part of our multi-sectoral strategy in combating HIV/AIDS in the country. The media as an industry is not immune to HIV. Hopefully, maybe on the third quarter we could establish a media committee responsible for co-coordinating such activities," said Douglas Moyo, monitoring and evaluation officer.

Way forward 

 

If you are living with HIV then you can help us challenge inaccurate and stigmatising media coverage and provide a human face to NAC or the or  author of this blog. NAC could possibly establish a group of people living with HIV working together with support from NAC to improve how the media portrays HIV and people living with HIV. In this group, members will be alerted to stigmatising coverage and given advice on contacting journalists, making a complaint, getting a letter to the editor published and sharing the story.

As far as improving reportage amongst other things, NAC can craft up a toolkit or a guideline for journalists reporting on HIV.  These guidelines would be intended for journalists working in Zimbabwe. They would enable journalists and editors to check the facts and ensure that the final story is accurate.  At the end of it  all, NAC will be always on hand to advise journalists to report accurately on these issues.

More importantly, NAC can work directly with the media and with journalism colleges to improve journalists' knowledge and understanding. NAC can do so by producing a DVD or communication materials for journalism students, as part of their work to challenge stigma and improve reporting of HIV in the Zimbabwean media.  If NAC does it well, maybe a curriculum that focuses on HIV reporting could be introduced in journalism schools (eg NUST doesn't offer that module). It must be understood that the future of reporting HIV is as important as the present media coverage, and this DVD  or communication material would provide information for students on HIV including facts and myths, real stories, ethics of HIV reporting and advice on how to report on HIV without prejudice.

To warp it up, accurate reporting benefits public health, dispells myths, undermines prejudice and increases understanding. It contributes positively to the way HIV is addressed around the world.We know that reporting accurately on HIV has always been – and still is – a challenge. HIV and its ramifications are complex to report and to be able to end HIV/AIDS in 2030, the media sector can never be ignored.


Aluta continua

The media is incredibly powerful in influencing people's attitudes and understanding of HIV.

Stories in the media can have a positive effect in increasing people's awareness of HIV and what it means to live with HIV. However media reports about HIV are often stigmatising or inaccurate. Many stories contribute to a culture of blame about HIV transmission, focusing on so-called irresponsible sexual activity, use judgmental language and stereotype people living with HIV.
Improving the media's coverage of HIV issues is vital to tackle discrimination experienced by people living with HIV, improve people's knowledge and help prevent the spread of the virus.
NAT works in a number of ways to improve the media's reporting of HIV.

Working with journalists

NAT has produce a number of resources to help journalists ensure that the articles they write contain accurate information about HIV, are not misleading and do not encourage negative perceptions about HIV.

NAT worked with the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), Society of Editors and Press Complaints Committee (PCC)  to produce new Guidelines on Reporting HIV which provide practical information on how to report on HIV in an accurate and non-stigmatising way.  In addition to including current facts and stats on HIV, this updated version of Guidelines on Reporting HIV (June 2010) from the original produced in April 2007  also contains more detailed information for journalists on HIV testing, and the risks of transmission from spitting, biting and discarded needles - the topics most commonly mis-reported.

We also work directly with the media and with journalism colleges to improve journalists' knowledge and understanding.
NAT has produced a DVD for journalism students, as part of our work to challenge stigma and improve reporting of HIV in the UK media.  We understand that the future of reporting HIV is as important as the present media coverage, and this DVD provides information for students on HIV including facts and myths, real stories, ethics of HIV reporting and advice on how to report on HIV without prejudice. 

Watch NAT's video guide for journalists reporting on HIV 

Challenging poor reporting

NAT works behind the scenes to change how journalists report HIV.
We monitor the press daily and if we see reports that are inaccurate or stigmatising towards people living with HIV then we intervene to achieve lasting improvements. By writing to editors, challenging poor reporting, providing information for journalists and working with the Independent Press Standards Organisation we have successfully achieved lasting changes in the approaches a number of national and local newspapers take to reporting HIV.

How you can help

If you are living with HIV then you can help us challenge inaccurate and stigmatising media coverage and provide a human face to HIV in the UK by joining Press Gang.
Press Gang is a group of people living with HIV working together with support from NAT to improve how the media portrays HIV and people living with HIV.
As a member of Press Gang you will be alerted to stigmatising coverage and given advice on contacting journalists, making a complaint, getting a letter to the editor published and sharing your story.
- See more at: http://www.nat.org.uk/Media-and-Blog/Influencing-the-media.aspx#sthash.IjLzOvd0.dpuf