How can an organization build opportunities for consulting with T.V. shows and reinforce the use of health messages in entertainment programming? How do you leverage messages in T.V. shows to increase exposure through other media that reach additional national and local audiences? These were some questions at the heart of CDC's entertainment-education program when the CDC Foundation came on board to support and build on the impact of entertainment outreach activities. What evolved are two areas of collaboration that focus on an award program for exemplary portrayals of health issues on soap operas, and mass media outreach with broadcast and website components. We will describe the development of the CDC Sentinel for Health Award for Daytime Drama and outline criteria used to recognize soap opera storylines that encourage viewers to live safer and healthier lives. First-year results and partner participation will be described. We will also describe news media outreach and website development to increase reach and exposure of messages from a television movie on pandemic flu, identifying both challenges and results of this partnership activity. Producers of the movie consulted with CDC scientists during script development and production, and network staff collaborated on promotion and news media outreach. A media kit was developed for local ABC affiliates that included contact information at state health departments and comprehensive information on the role of public health in combating influenza. The web site cross-linked the CDC, CDC Foundation and ABC to provide general information and ready references on flu prevention, surveillance and vaccination.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to (1) articulate two criteria for exemplary portrayals of health issues in television entertainment shows (2) describe a multi-media outreach effort for increasing exposure of public health messages in television entertainment programming
Keywords: Media, Health Communications
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.