Mental health representations
in the Media
Paul Scates
Dr Andrew Mayers
Mental health in the Media
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Who are we
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Paul Scates
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Dorset Mental Health Forum

Time to Change
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Lived experience of bipolar disorder
Dr Andy Mayers
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Senior lecturer in psychology BU
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Specialising in mental health
What are we doing here today?
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Looking at how the ‘Media’ represents mental health
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Mental health in the Media
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Types of media
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Newspapers – printed or online
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TV, film and radio
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Social media (Twitter, Facebook…)
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Corporate PR and media image
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Internet blogs
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How is mental health represented in UK?
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How do other countries compare?
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What can WE do to improve mental health in the media?
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Your perceptions of mental health in
the Media
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Take a moment to write down some words or
phrases that you associate with mental health
We will now look at some examples of MH reporting…
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Front page news, published 07.10.13
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The Sun article
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What messages are conveyed by headlines like these?
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What perception will readers have about mental illness?
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Has the Editor read mental health reporting guidelines?
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What was wrong with this article?
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So, how did other newspapers respond?
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Are they better at reporting mental health?
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In response to The Sun…
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Daily Telegraph response
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Some good use of figures, countering The Sun’s claims
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“Far from saving lives, the Sun's campaign could put more in
danger”
Was this a better example of positive reporting?
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Maybe, but it was a little light on detail
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Even so, can we put more faith in the Daily Telegraph?
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Do they set a better model?
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This is what they printed just a few days beforehand…
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Daily Telegraph, a few days earlier
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Response elsewhere
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This is what The Guardian said later that day
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The Guardian’s response
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More in-depth analysis
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Quotes from several sources
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Graphical displays
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Quotes from Time to Change
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And, finished with these key points:
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“How would you want to see us reporting on mental health?”
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“What do you think the data says?”
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“If you are worried about a mental health issue, contact the
Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or your GP”
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Here’s what Time to Change said
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What about corporate responsibility?
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Should major companies be more empathic about mental illness? Why?
The recent Halloween costumes at Asda and Tesco are prime examples
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Public perception
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Does this reinforce a stigmatised image or is it just harmless fun?
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How did the UK public react?
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Twitter is a good example of how social media reflects trends
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Hundred’s of people tweeted their reaction
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Indeed, many sources suggest that it was the Twitter storm that
put pressure on Asda to withdraw and donate £25k to Mind
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Many people (with lived experience) posted their own images
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‘My mental health costume…’
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Real mental health costume
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Public perception, USA
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But how was similar adverts perceived in USA?
One example tweeted by Mental Health Association in Portland,
Oregan
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Asked whether there had been a media storm in response
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They said it had not
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When asked why, this is what they said…
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Public perception, USA
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What about examples of mainstream US reporting…
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USA mainstream newspaper
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Good article. A little short, but well-written and fair
But how did the US public respond…
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Public perception, USA
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Your perceptions of mental health in
the Media
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How would you report a mental health issue if
asked by an editor?
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Time to change guidelines
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Here are the Time to Change guidelines to the Media…
http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/news-media/media-advisoryservice/help-journalists
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Too much of a good thing?
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But all we seem to see these days is famous people talking about
mental health
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Does this detract from the message and just make it trendy?
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The Daily Mail thought so…
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Television and celebrities
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Do TV programmes with celebrities talking about mental health help?
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Examples…
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BBC3 series (Don’t call me crazy)
Had great links to MH information
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01b3s86
Frank Bruno, featuring Paul Scates
 http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01czdy3
 But did programme portray Frank fairly?
Channel 4 – Four goes mad
 World’s Maddest Interview
 Ruby Wax
 Jon Richardson: A Little Bit OCD
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Summary and conclusion
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Is the British media in a good place on mental health?
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What else do we do need to?
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Questions?
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Summary and conclusion
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Contacts
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Paul Scates
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paulscates@dorsetmentalhealthforum.org.uk
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www.dorsetmentalhealthforum.org.uk/
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Twitter @paulscates
Andy Mayers
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amayers@bournemouth.ac.uk
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www.andrewmayers.info
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Twitter @DrAndyMayers
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