Developing Health Journalism Across the Commonwealth

Thanks for the opportunity to propose another grant to continue our work to increase awareness of, and to address, the systemic issues that contribute to the health status of Kentuckians and develop leadership in health journalism in all areas of the state. We propose the following grant activities: 1. Journalism: Post at least 500 blog items and 50 original stories on Kentucky Health News, to be done by a master’s degree student, a doctoral student, an experienced health writer or a combination of the three. Send to all Kentucky newspapers a weekly update of stories and items posted on KHN in the previous week. 2. Presentation: Expand the new website created for Kentucky Health News under the current grant, to give more lasting prominence to major stories and appeal more directly to audiences that are interested in health care, health behavior and health policy. Use social media to promote traffic to the site 3. Development: We will continue to seek other funding for Kentucky Health News, which may come in the form of advertising or sponsorship recognitions on the new website. 4. Research: Make periodic examinations of rural newspapers, independent news sites and news clips provided by the Foundation for trends and possible excerption in KHN. Check for local newspapers’ treatment of County Health Rankings and KHN material, building on baseline research completed in previous years, and prepare a research paper for publication in a peer-reviewed academic journal. 5. Consultation: Work with the Foundation to develop story ideas and research topics, include newsworthy Foundation activities in Institute publications, and promote Foundation activities helpful to rural journalists and rural health. 6. Participation: Attend seminars, workshops, conferences and other events related to rural health and report on them if newsworthy; at such events, advocate role of journalism in improving rural health. 7. Training: Conduct a seven-hour workshop in Western Kentucky for reporters and editors, to encourage more and better health coverage; offer a small travel subsidy to attendees based more than 75 miles from the workshop site (probably Madisonville). 8. Extension: Expand online resources via new website; maintain list-serve for reporters covering health issues in Kentucky; make regular trips to visit Kentucky newspapers to discuss and encourage health coverage; work with Family and Consumer Sciences agents and specialists in the Cooperative Extension Service of the UK College of Agriculture to mutually enhance our work in promoting better health.