Transcript Medicine & the Media: A Survival Guide for U

Depression in the Media:
Strategies for Talking to Reporters
U-M Depression Center Colloquium
Kara Gavin, M.S.
UMHS Public Relations
Why does it matter?
In today’s information-saturated
society, the news media and informal
media influence public opinion,
patient/parent/clinician behavior
and public policy like never before.
Who do we need to reach & how?
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Journalists and editors
The undiagnosed and under-treated
“Empowered” patients, families & advocates
Publicity-conscious industry & government
Discerning donors hoping to make a difference
Clinicians and payors who need evidence-based
aid in depression and related disorders
All of these audiences need:
• Information spoken/written in language
they can understand & use
• Credible, independent sources
• Context and lack of “hype”
• Information readily available via
accessible channels, especially Web
• Constant stream of “newness”
Depression in the News: Good News
• Clinical trial recruitment and results
• Rx, behavioral, combined, wellness, complementary
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Genetic findings – differences in “vulnerability”
Neuroscience – differences in “chemistry”
Outcomes & economics - better understanding
Celebrities who use fame to bring attention
“Teachable moments” linked to news events
Public-service pieces on depressive disorders
The Oprah Winfrey Show, 4/5:
Depressed, Mentally Ill & Famous
Therapy Said Good as Drugs
for Some Depression
Hollywood.com
Shields Reveals
Depression Hell
Contents under
pressure:
Newer Antidepressants
Work 2 Ways
SSRIs boost serotonin levels
on two fronts, study shows
Academic communities
pay increased attention
to graduate students'
mental health
Steroid addiction
a risk for young
athletes
Withdrawal can cause
depression, suicidal
behavior
Depression in the News: Bad News
• Medication backlash
– Adolescent SSRI controversy
– Vague or conflicting data
– General mistrust of mental health profession
• High-profile crime/tragic events
– “Prozac defense”
– Suicides
• Lack of progress on parity policies
• Individual patients’ “horror stories”
Shooter's family wonders
about medication effect
Red Lake teen wasn't
alone in his despair
Weise's aunt says Prozac dose
recently upped
Compromise mental
health bill advances
Issaquah schools grapple
with suicide
Legislature rejects mental health bill:
Lawmakers cite budgetary concerns
SSRI Data Continue To
Confound Researchers
Depression in the News: No News
• Wary researchers and clinicians
• Lack of willing first-person
spokespeople
• Lack of visual appeal limits TV news
• Missed opportunities to use natural
“news pegs”
Recent UMDC Newsmakers
• Michelle Riba: April Health Minute video & press
release on cancer depression, APA lead spokesperson
• Reg Williams & Bonnie Hagerty: Arch. Psych. Nursing
paper (U-M news release)
• John Greden: US News & World Report grad school
mental health
• Dan Maixner: TV interviews on TMS trial
• Huda Akil: FGF Pritzker Consortium paper in PNAS
(UMHS press release)
The Players
UMDC
MEDIA
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Clinicians
Researchers
Administration
Outreach staff
Affiliates
PR
staff
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Newspapers
TV & radio
Magazines
Health web sites
Trade publications
U-M Depression Center’s Roles
• First, best, only – national leadership
• Reliable, credible, responsive source of experts
for reporters
– Top-of-mind, top-of-Rolodex (or Google)
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Continuous stream of research results
Useful web site & programs for the public
Clinical guidance and training for providers
Evidence & advice for payors & policymakers
Special Challenges
• Finding patients who will “tell their story”
is difficult because of stigma
• Media & public perceptions and preconceptions
get in the way
• Retaining credibility means disclosing ties to pharma,
and being careful about what you allow in your name
• Other usual risks and challenges:
– Talking to reporters takes time
– Responsiveness and agility in communications
are hard work – especially with breaking news
Aren’t there risks to media exposure?
Yes.
But we risk more
if we don’t work with the media!
• Missed patient care
& trial recruitment
opportunities
• Incomplete/incorrect
public perception of
key issues
• Lost chance to reach • Lack of recognition for
clinicians & gov’t
U-M achievements
What kinds of interactions might
you have with PR staff & reporters?
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Press release & interviews on your latest research
Publicity for new clinical trial/clinical service
Expert opinion on a topic in your sub-specialty
Health Minute feature story: video & press release
Commenting on someone else’s research
Commenting on a societal event, issue or trend
Compelling stories about patients
Crisis/problem situations
What makes a reporter tick?
• Most reporters serve a general audience
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Most have no (or basic) medical/scientific knowledge
Might ask “dumb questions” or seek better quotes
See themselves as serving the “public interest”
Audience: speaking to “ordinary people”
• Reporters are on tight deadlines
– Respond quickly to requests or tell PR you can’t do it
• Reporters have little space/time to tell the story
– Keep your answers short, especially with TV/radio
• Reporters value their independence
– You probably won’t see questions or stories
ahead of time, but you can ask to verify quotes
Timing is everything: The embargo system
• Embargoes are designed to increase media coverage
– “Scout’s honor” system: Reporter agrees that if given the
news in advance, he/she will not publish it until set date
– Increases newsworthiness and coverage of research news
– Gives reporter time to prepare, increases accuracy
• Journals/professional societies routinely use them
• Only select reporters get embargoed news
– Privilege can be revoked if embargo is “broken”
• Activity permitted during embargo period:
– Sharing paper/abstract with reporters, interviews
by authors/outside experts, video/audio recording
How to talk to a reporter
• Work with PR office to anticipate questions
and prepare for interview
– Media training is available!
• Have key messages and “sound bites” in mind
• Avoid jargon, don’t assume knowledge, speak
colloquially and at high school level
• Except for live TV/radio, it’s OK to repeat answers
• Forget about “off the record”
• Don’t play favorites or ignore “small”
media requests
The Role of UMHS PR Staff
• Seek out news ideas
• Devise best publicity
strategies for stories
• Write accurate &
readable materials
• Release & “pitch”
stories to media
• Prepare for crisis and
strategic communication
• Consult with leadership
• Fill requests for expert
sources & patients
• Counsel patients &
families, handle consents
• Escort cameras in
patient areas
• Report PR results to
UMHS community
…and it’s all free!
UMHS Publicity Vehicles
For news media
For other audiences
• Press releases
• Health Minute series
(TV, radio, print)
• Pitch calls or e-mails
• Response to inquiries
• UMHS, UMMS,
UMDC web sites
• External web sites
and e-mail lists
• UMHS web sites
• Bulletin, Star, E-News,
Applause!, M News Now
• University Record
• Medicine at Michigan
• Advertising, brochures
(charges may apply)
• Referring MD fax
(small charge)
When to contact PR staff
• You have an interesting paper or abstract accepted
• There’s breaking news on a topic in your specialty
• You’re starting a unique or new clinical service
• You need patients for a clinic or subjects for a trial
• A company, journal, society, patient advocacy group
or patient contacts you about publicity
• A reporter calls your office or e-mails you directly
– Let your support staff know they can run requests through PR first!
• You have an idea for a Health Minute feature
story on a topic important to public health
How to handle bad news or crisis
• First: Call or page PR staff for help and advice
• Don’t panic or clam up (ask “Can I call you back?”)
• Put the best face on information,
but don’t distort or omit key facts
• Try to understand reporter’s perspective,
goals and time constraints
• Empathize with any expressed concerns
• Refer reporter to other sources and
experts for context and balance
The End Result:
Talking to reporters can be good for you!
• Better public/peer awareness of research results
• Better public understanding of the importance of
depression research
• Increased chance that your findings will have an
impact on future research or clinical practice
• Visibility within UMHS, U-M & beyond
• Clinical trial/patient recruitment
• Funding agency/donor appreciation
• Unexpected benefits!
How to contact UMHS PR
Call: 647-1154 (Kara Gavin direct) or 764-2220
(if it’s urgent, ask to speak with my colleagues)
E-mail: [email protected] (or Groupwise)
Fax: 615-2169
Page: 9554 (There’s a PR person on-call after hours & on weekends)
Submit events at: www.med.umich.edu/prmc/subform.htm
Fax broadcasts to referring MDs, and Telecare
recordings for public calls: Lynn Bryant