On this episode, we’re joined by journalists Tara Haelle and Bara Vaida to talk about the Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) and health journalism in the age of Covid-19. They explained what the organization does, why it is invaluable to health care journalists as an informational and networking resource, as well as their role as topic leaders in medical studies and infectious disease, respectively.
Tara talked about the importance of media understanding the different stages of vaccine development. Bara talked about writing about pandemic preparedness and why it’s important for reporters to understand the connection of politics and health care.
They explained the challenges that occur when some political reporters enter the health journalism landscape – understanding that evidence trumps “both sides” reporting. They talked about the value of Twitter in helping them find public health experts and lessons learned that could be applied to reporting on future health care issues (such as health care disparities, listening to the right experts for the right questions, and building public health literacy).
We ended the discussion by talking about their journalistic passions, what advice they would have for future journalists, and what journalism organizations they would like to salute.
Notable Links
AHCJ website
AHCJ Twitter
Tara’s Twitter
Bara’s Twitter
Tara’s website, TedXTalk on vaccination, and parenting book
Bara’s website and pandemic preparedness article
Jake Wittich, Reporter: Block Club Chicago; VP: NLGJA Chicago
Denise Clay-Murray, Reporter: Votebeat
Gabrielle Hays: Communities Correspondent, PBS NewsHour
Tionna Taite, Founder, Nineteen Fifty-Six Magazine
Nick Toso, Former CNN Español Producer; Founder: Rolli
Diana Kruzman, Midwest Journalism Fellow - Grist
Ted Bridis, Investigative Reporting Professor, University of Florida
Daniel Chang and Carol Marbin Miller, Investigative Reporter and Editor at The Miami Herald
Kam Burns: Engagement Editor, Politico; Founding Member - Trans Journalists Association
Susan LoTempio & Kristin Gilger from the National Center on Disability and Journalism
Jessica Meyers, Editor-in-Chief, Global Press Journal
Starr Dunigan, Reckon (Black Joy newsletter)
Anita Hofschneider, Honolulu Civil Beat Reporter
Emma Restrepo, Host "Dos Puntos"; Freelance Journalist/Professor
Allie Singer, Senior Editor for Special Projects at Time For Kids
Rod McCullom, Science Journalist
Kelundra Smith, Arts & Culture Journalist
Boston Globe Senior Newsroom Developer Vince Dixon
Chris Jones, 100 Days in Appalachia, Report for America
Katie Klingsporn, Managing Editor of WyoFile
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Just Dumb Enough Podcast
Freakonomics Radio
The Why Files: Operation Podcast
Criminal
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World