title: The ghost of public health journalism: past, present, and future.
abstract: The news industry is undergoing shrinking newspaper circulations, cuts in science and health coverage, and expansion of Internet news sources. We examine the impact of these changes using a case study set in Libby, Montana. In 1999, a Seattle newspaper story focused attention on asbestos exposure and related diseases in this small town. In 2009, that newspaper became an online-only newspaper, just as coverage of a related criminal trial began. Later that year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a public health emergency. Online newspaper archives and a collaboration between the University of Montana's journalism and law schools contributed to coverage of these developments. Continued efforts to promote interest in and skills needed for high-quality public health and environmental reporting are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, DC, USA. Cooper.Glinda@epa.gov
authors.forename: Glinda S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Rebecca C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D001194:Asbestos / Q000506:poisoning; D005544:Forecasting; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D018156:Journalism, Medical / Q000266:history; D008906:Mining / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009009:Montana; D009524:Newspapers as Topic / Q000266:history; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011634:Public Health / Q000266:history / Q000639:trends; D014861:Washington
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos