The role of the
media in a democratic society is to act as a watchdog, holding corporate America accountable and providing accurate and useful information to the general
public. No other sector of the media takes these ideals more seriously than
those who monitor and report on issues of health care.
Because of the
recent decline in newspaper journalism and reduction of staff in remaining
newsrooms, there are fewer knowledgeable health care reporters and more “aces”
who are pressured to generate compelling headlines. The risk of journalistic
zealousness putting your brand in jeopardy is at an all-time high. 
So, how does your
organization preserve its integrity in such a sticky climate?
As your
organization’s communications gatekeeper it is imperative to stay vigilant in
both the local and social media arena. A falsity, stretch of the truth or even vague
headline can not only sway public opinion but with the onset of social media
and blogging, one incorrect detail can be transferred to a plethora of
opinion-based forums disseminating brand busting half-truths throughout your
consumer base. Keep on top of all discussion pertaining to your hospital or
healthcare organization. Utilize your search engine’s alert system. Google
Alerts offers a free service to anyone with a Gmail account – promptly sending
an email when user-decided key words or phrases are posted anywhere on the
web.
If you do come
across an error, it’s best to rectify it immediately before it morphs into a
whole new can of worms by bloggers, social networkers and others who aren’t
bound by journalistic standards. It is also important to put together a system
of dealing with errors before one comes to light. By thinking ahead and staying
organized you may avoid future disasters and time-consuming endeavors.
In past healthcare reporting,
seasoned journalists relied on key opinion leaders and experts whom they
trusted. According to the Association of Health Care Journalists, writers must “recognize
that most stories involve a degree of nuance and complexity that no single
source could provide. Journalists have a responsibility to present diverse
viewpoints in context. To reflect only one perspective of only one source is
not wise. Most one-source stories lack depth and meaning.”
Because you may not
have rapport or any prior experience with a particular journalist, providing
him or her with non-biased experts that support their views with science-based justification
not personal assumptions will boost your credibility and surface facts.
It is also important
to build rapport with the freelance and inexperienced journalists. By building
trust, you will in turn become a source when a crisis hits. They will turn to
you for accurate and complete information about your organization – giving you
the opportunity to supply a positive slant on an ugly situation.
By encouraging
journalists, bloggers and the community to dig up correct information and unbiased
or even both of the opposing sources, you will guard your corporate and
community image. Help journalists to understand that they have a duty to their
readers to quantify their findings – to report on fact and not inflate subject
matter.
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