Health journalism helps people make important decisions about their own well-being and hold governments and corporations accountable for their policies. However, it can be challenging to locate the health data that drives these stories and to present them in ways that resonate with wide audiences.
Despite these difficulties, there is an inexhaustible need for such reporting, says Fabiola Torres, an International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) Knight Fellow and co-founder and editor of OjoPúblico, a Peruvian newsroom known internationally for its award-winning investigative journalism.
Journalists can join a webinar led by Torres on Thursday, Dec. 13 that will cover how to find stories hidden in health data, including:
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Where to find publicly available data about health topics;
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How to turn this data into clean, reusable databases;
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How to go beyond the numbers and humanize health stories.
Torres will share a behind-the-scenes look at at major recent health investigative storytelling that she has supported as an ICFJ Knight Fellow. She will share lessons learned as well as suggestions for carrying out similar projects in your newsroom. Examples of stories she will discuss:
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Implant Files, the first global examination of the medical device industry. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) coordinated the year-long investigation, which revealed how millions of people worldwide have been exposed to poorly tested implants.
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Reporting on the health crisis in Venezuela, including a story documenting how families and humanitarian organizations are working to evacuate Venezuelan children with cancer to get them access to the treatment they need.
As an ICFJ Knight Fellow, Torres is launching a first-of-its-kind digital platform and collaborative network for conceiving, promoting and following investigative journalism about public health and medicine in Latin America. Called “Salud con Lupa,” or “Health with a Magnifying Glass,” it connects citizens, journalists and organizations interested in health data and investigative reporting. Webinar participants will learn more about how to get involved.
The webinar, which is supported by the Dow Jones Foundation, will be offered in Spanish here at 10 a.m. EST. The webinar will also be broadcast via Facebook Live on the IJNet Español Facebook page.
Please register for the webinar using this form. Registered participants will receive a reminder email as well as a link to a video recording of the webinar when it becomes available.