HIV/AIDS is a tricky subject to cover, journalistically speaking.
In addition to being a chronic illness which, if left untreated, is fatal, it also carries with it social stigma that has seen people vilified, ostracised, and in some cases, murdered, simply for having contracted the disease.
Reporting on the disease abounds with stereotypes and stereotyping. The Fourth Estate is encouraged to provide an independent voice and perspective, but it’s all too easy to simply reflect the views of those who see the disease as “a whore’s disease”, “a gay disease” and “a black disease”.
The disease is widespread throughout Southern Africa, which means that if you’re involved in health, or writing about health issues, you will have to find a way to delicately write a path through a minefield of stereotypes, misinformation, myths and a general lack of understanding.
It is for this reason that the HIV/AIDS and the Media Project has developed Journ-AIDS, an online resource for journalists and others writing on HIV/AIDS and related issues.
In addition to providing practical advice for journalists writing about HIV/AIDS, the site has a regularly updated blog, key documents that pertain to the disease and a number factsheets on issues around the disease, from prevention to the politics of HIV/AIDS in South Africa.
It’s a worthy initiative and we at Flow are pleased to be able to count the HIV/AIDS and the Media Project as one of our longest-standing clients. We first developed the project’s website in 1995, though it has gone through several iterations since then.
A welcome resource indeed. I am sure it will be just as well received as it will be well used by the media.