Beijing 2004: Health Journalism & HIV/AIDS

In November 2004, the Journalist to Journalist (J2J) Project of the National Press Foundation was invited to participate in two conferences in Beijing, China: (1) the 4th Asia-Pacific Symposium on Press and Scientific and Social Progress (APSP 2004) and (2) the launch of a health journalism center at Tsinghua University: the Tsinghua-Bayer Public Health and HIV/AIDS Media Studies Program.

At the APSP Conference, November 18-20, 2004, many experts were invited to discuss the need for collaboration between the media, technology, and social sectors in Asian-Pacific countries to enhance crisis management in the region. Bob Meyers, the president of the National Press Foundation, moderated the opening ceremony with Zhang Yutai, the vice president of the China Association of Science and Technology. Bob Meyers also gave a presentation on "Finding A Common Language for Journalists and Scientists." International leaders in media, technology and public policy attended the symposium.

The second conference was held in honor of the launch of the Tsinghua University's Tsinghua-Bayer Public Health and HIV/AIDS Media Studies Program, and attended by journalists, journalism students and academicians. Bob Meyers spoke with a PowerPoint presentation about techniques and challenges in reporting on the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and what journalists can do to help stem the tide of infection. Based on his talks with Tsinghua students, Bob Meyers was asked to write the Introduction to a Chinese journalism textbook on HIV/AIDS that was published in 2005.