10 Days When TB Should Be Especially Newsworthy
By planning your media outreach around significant dates and events, you can help focus people's attention and increase your chances of gaining coverage. Consider compiling a calendar of dates (local, national and international) which might provide you with a news "peg" or "hook."
ACTION's events calendar offers a number of opportunities. Here are some specific ideas to consider:
January 1: New Years Day
During the week between Christmas and New Years Day, editors are particularly receptive to articles and opinion pieces that look back over the preceding year's major events. It is likely the fact that nearly 2 million people died from a preventable disease the past year has been overlooked by the media as a "major event." Your perspectives on this may be welcomed here!
February 24: Anniversary of John Keats' Death
The famous poet died from TB at age 25. Most TB deaths are still among ages 15-44. A list of over 150 famous people who have been sick or have died from TB can be found here. If any of these historic celebrities who have died of TB are of particular relevance to your community, the anniversary of their birthday or death may provide you with a unique angle for a letter to the editor or op-ed.
March 8: International Women's Day
Around the world, International Women's Day marks a celebration of the economic, social, cultural and political achievements for women. Still, most women typically have less access to basic health services than men, which is one reason why TB remains one of the biggest infectious killers of women, claiming the lives of nearly one million women each year.
March 24: World TB Day
When Dr. Robert Koch announced his discovery of the TB bacillus on March 24th, 1882 in Berlin, TB was raging through Europe and the Americas, killing one in seven people. Koch's discovery paved the way for the potential elimination of this fearsome disease. But progress towards realizing that promise has come terribly slowly. One of the greatest killers of humans throughout history is still at work, in spite of the availability of effective medicines and tools to control it. World TB Day is a time to mobilize public support for an intensified effort to diagnose and cure TB on a global scale.
April 7: World Health Day
World Health Day is an annual event promoted by the World Health Organization. A new theme is selected each year to highlight public health issues of world-wide concern. Learn more about World Health Day and next year's theme. Consider whether it might be relevant to the control of TB.
May: A Critical Time in U.S. Appropriations or When Your Country Makes Appropriations Decisions
Be familiar with your government's legislative calendar. Plan your media activities sufficiently in advance of when key decisions are anticipated to be made.
June or July: G8 Summit.
Every summer, the heads of state of G8 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, and the US) meet to discuss issues of global importance. Often, health and development issues are addressed as priorities.
September or October: World Bank and IMF Annual Meetings
Each autumn, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund hold their Annual Meetings to discuss a range of issues related to poverty reduction, international economic development and finance. The Annual Meetings traditionally are held in Washington D.C. two years out of three and every third year in a different member country. About 10,000 people attend the meetings, including nearly 1,000 representatives of the media. While the Bank has provided extensive support to help China, India and Russia begin controlling TB, it is doing remarkably little to help African countries.
November: Elections in the U.S. or When Your Country Holds Elections
In the United States, for example, November is the month for elections. Leading up to elections in your country, consider raising the global TB crisis as an issue in the media. Inquire whether any of the candidates have a position on development assistance and/or national TB control efforts. Let them know what you believe to be the priority issues!
December 1: World AIDS Day
The serious threat TB poses to people living with HIV/AIDS is often overlooked in World AIDS Day media coverage. This is surprising, since in Africa, TB is the greatest opportunistic infection threatening the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS. Currently, across the African continent nearly a third of TB patients are HIV-infected, although, in several African countries, these rates are much higher. For example, HIV levels in patients with TB in Namibia, South Africa and Zambia all stand at around 60% and in Botswana, the rate is 80%. UNAIDS provides more information on World AIDS Day and its tie to TB.
