Principles of Ideal Health Journalism and Broadcasting

Opinions and Recommendations from Türkiye

Abstract

This study explores the principles of ideal health journalism in Türkiye and aims to develop a normative framework for ethical and effective health reporting. The central research problem concerns how the principles of ethics, scientific accuracy, and public interest can be operationalized in health journalism, and what expectations and evaluations are held by media professionals, healthcare experts, and academics. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study first conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 29 participants, including journalists, health professionals, and scholars. Based on the emerging themes, a second-stage online survey was administered to a broader group of 67 participants. Data were analyzed through qualitative content analysis and frequency analysis. The findings highlight that ideal health journalism should be grounded in verified scientific knowledge, rely solely on expert sources, and adopt a clear and accessible language for the general public. Participants also emphasized that practices such as sensationalism, commercial pressure, hope-mongering, and lack of editorial oversight undermine the credibility of health reporting. Accordingly, the study recommends the establishment of ethical oversight mechanisms, the institutionalization of health editors, and the expansion of professional training programs grounded in health communication.