Naming and Praising Update
June 2000 'Naming and Praising' Award – for responsible reporting of health and science issues – goes to BBC Online for their item on new worries about the contraceptive pill.
The piece follows the guidelines in the SIRC/RI Code of Practice to the letter. The BBC clearly recognise the dangers of causing another panic about the pill, and give reassurance about the minimal risks in the second line, repeated regularly throughout the article, which is calm, balanced and thoughtful. Even the headline is non-alarmist, a rare example of responsible sub-editing.
Any journalist looking for a textbook example of how to cover health-risk issues should read this BBC item.
