Interesting. I didn't see the Fox TV thing. However in Boston 2 weeks ago
Channel 7 came to our hospital and talked with us for a short health news
item about long term breastfeeding. Their take was completely positive
because it was in the light of the Yale study in China saying that women who
breastfed for 2 years reduced their rate of breast cancer by 50%. And because
we only said positive things. The journalist said, on camera, "US long term
breastfeeding rates are abysmal" and she cited the figures at 6 months and 12
months. Of course she didnt know those figures before she met us....
I used to be a TV journalist. I never knew anything about the story I was
filming until the day it was assigned to me. TV journalists are clever
professionals and are good at being journalists: making 5 short, attractive,
interesting news items in a day about 5 different topics. They are looking
for short meaty statements. Canned info. Neat statistics. Good interviewees.
Never ever say anything long and complicated because they will only take a
short part of anything you say. Never ever say anything you don't want them
to broadcast and don't say anything negative. Get the PR people at the
hospital heavily involved; they know how to be careful. And get them a mother
to film. We found them a great great mom that day - she looked into the
camera lens and said "Breastfeeding: it's beyond love." Which of course, they
used, because it was so punchy. And this mother was an African American and
the only African American woman in the eventual news item - all their other
stock pictures were of white women breastfeeding in picture perfect rocking
chairs - a very narrow image that is portrayed over and again in the media.
Breastfeeding rates among African Americans are about half those among white
women. Getting images of African American women breastfeeding into the media
is a huge service to public health.
The media are potentially strong allies. They are just looking for a good
story. Breastfeeding is a good story. It has cute babies and breasts and
health in it every time. We should take advantage of this and play the
game....to our advantage.
Anne Merewood IBCLC
Boston Medical Center

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