Media coverage of pandemics across the Mekong region has been a
learning curve for journalists, as they struggle to understand
hitherto unknown viruses, keep their audiences abreast of the
latest public health emergencies and give them correct and
preventive information. In more recent times, research on how
this story was reported across the Mekong region revealed a
picture that was heartening to experts on public health
information. “The H1N1 virus has received more coverage than
other viruses,” Robert Kelly, regional representative for the
Academy for Educational Development, told a session on reporting
of cross-border health issues at the Mekong Media Forum on Dec.
11. “But it is a double-edged sword,” he noted. “There were good
opportunities to get key health messages out. But there was an
inability to control the message.” Particularly troubling was
the contrast between stories and headlines in the region’s
newspapers. “The content was good but the headlines were
sensational,” he revealed. The reportage