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Beyond s/he said: Giving

depth to HIV/AIDS Stories

J2J Training for Journalists

15th

International Conference on HIV/AIDS,Bangkok Thailand

July 2004

akin JIMOH

Development Communications Network, Nigeria

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INTRODUCTION

At 13 I was raped, by my uncle.

At 14 I was raped againand I became

pregnant

subsequently I tested positiveto HIV.

Kabati Ishaya, 23 year old Nigerian

PLWA.

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Why s/he said?

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HIV and AIDS were medical issues

Health ministry leads prevention

efforts

Doctors, health workers were lead

sources

Stories and reports looked at the

medical angle

In the Beginning

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Government pronouncements

are reported

What health minister says take precedent

Government officials are sources of

information

Quote statistics that has little or no meaning to

the media audience

In the Beginning

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NOW

While HIV/

AIDS

has traditionally been a

health story, it is now recognized as being

much bigger than a health issue

NOW

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NOW

It is also political, economic, social

and cultural.

It is local, national, regional and

global.

It is about individuals, families

communities, regions, nations and

the world

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NOW

There are many aspects to HIV/AIDS

from science to medicine, epidemiology,

human interest, social, health, and

economy

And there are appropriate sources of

information for the varied, but

interlinked issues in HIV/AIDS

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Thus it is imperative for journalists to broaden

the content of stories articles, programs,

features be it in broadcast or electronic

media

What has depth should be relevant to the

people and must deal with their problems,

challenges and give deeper understanding of

the key issues and implications

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Howdowe give depth to

HIV/AIDS stories?

Ability to weave the variousdimensions of the pandemic in a report

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Giving depth requires

A list of good information sources -- to provide

quotes, background information, explanations

of complex aspects or technical details, useful

suggestions and leads, new findings or other

news, and even contact with other sources

Ability to conduct research, and to make

research an integral and important part of a

story i.e get command of the topic and the

concept

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For the purpose of in-depth reporting of

HIV and AIDS pandemic the convention

ofnews may not work. This is true for

most science coverage and is based on

the fact that:

We dont learn about discoveries today

or yesterday.

Giving depth requires

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Discoveries are usually incremental

Discoveries are usually uncertain

Thus we risk the tendency of media hype that

could make HIV and AIDS stories seem likeother news (inflate the importance and

minimize the uncertainties)

Giving depth requires

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ALWAYS REMEMBER:

HIV/AIDS is also a social, economic,

political, and developmental story

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Reporting the story from a new

(third) eye

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New trends in the

HIV/AIDS epidemic:What population groups are being hit

the hardest, why, and who is doing

what to respondNote: implications for stigma

For example, why more women thanmen are getting HIV;why young

women are several times more likely

to get HIV than young men; and the

possible solutions.

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HIV/AIDS, human rights, and

justice:

Rights of people with HIV/AIDS and the

legal protections for people with HIV/AIDS

How people with HIV/AIDS are treated

and how they should be treated

International conventions/plans of action

related to human rights, reproductive

health, gender equality, children's rights,

etc. - and the status of their implementation

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The impact of HIV/AIDS ondifferent sectors of the

economy:

Its impact on different businesses,industries, agriculture.

What this impact means foreconomic and social development.

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HIV/AIDS and children:

Maternal transmission ofHIV

and its prevention

AIDS orphans - the extent of theproblem and the impact on older

generations

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HIV/AIDS and children:

The changing roles of older

generations in the face ofHIV/AIDS.

Strategies to care for AIDS orphansand others affected by HIV/AIDS.

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THANK YOU