Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://knightcenter.utexas.edu/blog/?q=en/node/4766
JOURNALISM IN THE AMERICAS
A News Blog
Swine flu coverage in Brazil called "irresponsible"
Coverage of the H1N1 virus has fueled an an increase in health reporting in the United States. But coverage of the illness in Brazil has been criticized by several experts, media analysts, and some journalists themselves.
Among the most criticized is the daily Folha de S. Paulo, especially after its ombudsman,Carlos Eduardo Lins e Silva , harshly harshly criticized his colleagues.
On July 26, he said ?the reporting, principally the front page story on H1N1 flu last Sunday (19), constituted one of the most serious journalistic errors committed by this paper since I started here in April 2008.? The headline said ?swine flu (is) expected to affect at least 35 million in two months.?
In journalist Luiz Carlos Azenha?s blog, which was also very critical of the newspaper, one can read several comments by readers and specialists about the negligence of the newspaper and other media outlets.
The paper?s error is easily found upon reading the entire story. Folha used a statistical model that was published in 2006 and based on data from previous epidemics to formulate scenarios for ]bird flu[/URL (H5N1).
Luiz Ant?nio Magalh?es, executive editor of [URL="http://www.observatoriodaimprensa.com.br/"]Observat?rio da Imprensa, believes that the Folha case is only ?one example among many others that could be picked at random from any of the country's large communication outlets.?
The headlines (full stories for subscribers only):
Sunday, July 19, front page:
Swine Flu Expected to Reach at Least 35 Million in Two Months
Sunday, July 19, inside story:
Flu could affect 67 million Brazilians in Eight weeks
JOURNALISM IN THE AMERICAS
A News Blog
Swine flu coverage in Brazil called "irresponsible"
Coverage of the H1N1 virus has fueled an an increase in health reporting in the United States. But coverage of the illness in Brazil has been criticized by several experts, media analysts, and some journalists themselves.
Among the most criticized is the daily Folha de S. Paulo, especially after its ombudsman,Carlos Eduardo Lins e Silva , harshly harshly criticized his colleagues.
On July 26, he said ?the reporting, principally the front page story on H1N1 flu last Sunday (19), constituted one of the most serious journalistic errors committed by this paper since I started here in April 2008.? The headline said ?swine flu (is) expected to affect at least 35 million in two months.?
In journalist Luiz Carlos Azenha?s blog, which was also very critical of the newspaper, one can read several comments by readers and specialists about the negligence of the newspaper and other media outlets.
The paper?s error is easily found upon reading the entire story. Folha used a statistical model that was published in 2006 and based on data from previous epidemics to formulate scenarios for ]bird flu[/URL (H5N1).
Luiz Ant?nio Magalh?es, executive editor of [URL="http://www.observatoriodaimprensa.com.br/"]Observat?rio da Imprensa, believes that the Folha case is only ?one example among many others that could be picked at random from any of the country's large communication outlets.?
The headlines (full stories for subscribers only):
Sunday, July 19, front page:
Swine Flu Expected to Reach at Least 35 Million in Two Months
Sunday, July 19, inside story:
Flu could affect 67 million Brazilians in Eight weeks