Broadcast Journalism Event

We recently supported an event aimed at editors, producers and journalists working in broadcast news. The event was hosted at the BBC by the Creative Diversity Network and sponsored by Robin Elias, Managing Editor of ITV News and Stephen Mitchell, Head of News Programmes BBC. 

The afternoon was an opportunity for professionals at all levels to find out more about mental health, including reporting on the subject and also raising awareness of stress and trauma in the workplace. 

We are hoping to encourage the editors in the room to engage with the media advisory service and to encourage their staff to use the resources available, including the guides and films on this website. 

Some highlights:

• the event was well attended with around 70 journalists from ITN, BBC and Sky. Some well known faces included the presenter Sian Williams, Sky News Health Correspondent, Thomas Moore and ITV London Health Correspondent Liz Wickham
• the afternoon kicked off with an icebreaker hosted by our very own quizmaster, Senior Media Officer Hayley Richardson. Why not test your knowledge by trying out the quiz here the answers are here (highlighted in blue) 
• Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind was grilled by the host Geoff Adams-Spink about a variety of topics including mental health through the ages (where he explained the origins of the saying 'round the bend' and 'out of sight out of mind)', mental health in the workplace, stigma and the issue of linking violence to mental health problems in the newsroom
• the room then worked through some fictional breaking news scenarios in groups where they were given some basic facts and asked to discuss what they would put out on air and why. They were all given feedback by Mind, Time to Change and the Samaritans around best practice and what could be the possible impact of reporting in certain ways
• the main feeling from the journalists and editors in the room was that many of them are quite scared of tackling mental health as a subject. They were not sure of what language to use and often jumped to conclusions linking violence and mental health 
• the Dart Centre then spoke on the subject of trauma in the workplace that is faced by journalists, not only by foreign correspondents in war zones but also by court reporters and producers watching and editing video footage

Too late for those who attended and completed the task on the day but for everyone else here are some top tips for tackling a breaking news story!