Mass Kidney Failure and Mass Media Failure in Sri Lanka - by Nalaka Gunawardene, 16 Dec 2015

Mass Kidney Failure & Mass Media Failure in LKA:

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

By Nalaka GunawardeneScience Writer & Columnist

Presented to Technical session on Renal Disease Prevention & Research

Presidential Task Force on Kidney Disease16 December 2015

Colombo

nalakagunawardene.com

Where I come from… Trained as science writer, worked as journalist for

25+ yrs with print, broadcast and web media A ‘generalist’ covering & commenting on science,

environment + sustainable dev issues Especially interested in:

Studying public perceptions & how they influence public policy formulation in Lankan context

Spotting and questioning conspiracy theories! Not a specialist in agrochemical issues – but been

interested at local, national & global levels

CKDu: Media’s Challenges CKDu: A powerful story for media

Mystery disease, suffering, fear, death No scientific consensus: debate, intrigue Activist allegations, speculation, conspiracy

theories! CKDu: Also a difficult story to cover

Slow evolving tragedy: temporal Impacts only humans but not landscape No drama of a ‘contagion’ Needs effort & skill to ‘connect dots’

CKDu is NOT a Fleeting Story… Unsuitable for Breaking News!CKDu: A Mysterious Disease

CKDu media coverage in general: Highlights LK media limitations…

Many journalists lack science background to critically examine issues…or to ask the right questions

Media uncritically peddling info fragments & opinions without clarity, context or coherence

Many media orgs don’t assign enough resources for in-depth or investigative coverage (often due to lack of priority, NOT lack of funds)

Mass Kidney Failure amplified byMass Media Failure in Sri Lanka?

I posed this at Asian Science Comm. Symposium in Oct 2012

Healthy kidneys: filter waste & excess water from body

Healthy, vibrant media: separate fact from fiction; provides clarity & context

Lanka today has both mass kidney failure & mass MEDIA failure!

WHAT IS TO BE DONE???

Why it matters: Media dominates LKApublic’s info sources on current topics

70%

74%

94%

9%

13%

13%

52%

7%

27%

Newspapers and magazines

Radio

TV

Internet

Mobile phone/SMS alerts

Public exhibitions, seminars,etc

Friends, neighbors, col leagues

Educational institutions

Outdoor billboards, banners, etc

2010 market research survey covering 1,000 respondents from all districts

Roles expected of a HEALTHY mass media in a society Report news… Provide background/context to current

topics and concerns… Carry multiple perspectives on issues… Add its own measured views (through

editorials)… SERVE AS PLATFORM FOR PUBLIC

DISCUSSION & DEBATE Maintain accuracy, balance, credibility

But in reality…Is this the state of our media today?

State of our media public TV?

Only self-criticism in our media these days comes from their cartoonists!

This cartoon by Awantha Artigala

Surrounded by ‘news’……yet confused and bewildered!

Modern Conundrum: More info, less clarity!

Many Lankan media outlets presentCKDu/Agrochemical link as “proven” MEDIA is a plural, so we should not lump

everyone in one basket BUT many media: uncritically peddling

selected views of certain eco-activists… …While ignoring other views/hypotheses Some media also promoting a totally false

divide between “Western Science” & “Our Science”

CONFUSING READERS & POLICY MAKERS

Advocacy Journalism on Health & Environment OK – but within reason!“Journalists -- environmental or not -- must be rigorous in their fact-checking and field investigations. They must provide balanced analysis of issues, impacts, choices and alternatives. They must also be committed to sticking with unfolding and evolving stories...” - Nalaka Gunawardene, in SciDev.Net Global Editorial, 20 April 2007Full text: http://tiny.cc/SDNCOB

A metaphor for CKDu coverage in most of our media?

“Sky-is-Falling” Alarmist Chicken Licken seems to be a role model for some Lankan journalists!

Too much finger pointing,Too little informed reflection!

TOO MUCH time & energy spent looking for a ‘Villain’

TOO LITTLE media attention on: Healthcare needs of those already

living with CKDu Economic, social & emotional needs

of affected families How to prevent more people falling

sick: need for safe drinking water NOT ENOUGH questions on

overall agro policies that heavily favour high external inputs

‘Villains’ linked to CKDu thus far… Pesticide producers (always seen as

western multinationals) Govt regulator: Registrar of Pesticides Ministry & Dept of Agriculture (they are

still promoting high external input farming as official agro policy)

Moderate scientists who are evidence-driven (faulted by some media for not accepting conspiracy theories!)

Sceptical Journalists asking questions (ditto)

Simplistic analysis of complex problems…won’t solve problems!

Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka) editorial illustration

Example 1: Environmentalists poisoning the public mind!

Typical eco-activist position: Green Revolution big mistake Agrochemicals came with it They should be banished or

severely restricted CKDu seems to be linked to

agrochemicals (never mind how) Just use this public scare to ban

all pesticides! End justifies the means?

“Poisoners of Our People: Beware - Arsenic in your food!” Mihimandala eco magazine, July 2011

Example 2: “Arsenic kills thousands while Health Ministry Slumbers”

Sunday Leader: 17.03.2013 Political activists take up

CKDu: blames govt of inaction to ban “all arsenic-containing agrochemicals”

Registrar of Pesticides (govt regulator) called a “multinational agent” in an alleged ‘toxic conspiracy’

Example 3: Even BBC fell for it!Conspiracy-peddling fringe group Swarna Hansa Fdn demands ‘compensation’ from UN-FAO for "promoting agrochemicals" allegedly on behalf of agro sector multinational companies; they get even global media coverage far too disproportionate to the validity of their dubious claim!

BBC Online, 13 Dec 2013 www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25355698

Rare, honourable exception!

One newspaper, independent Ravaya (ravaya.lk), stands apart from rest of Lankan media in questioning CKDu-Arsenic claim

“Divine-assisted” Science on CKDu?Why no bigger outcry in media?

Cartoon by Awantha Artigala Daily Mirror: 20 June 2011

Is Vidusara Generation now shaping public discourse? Popular science weekly, est.

1987 by Upali Newspapers Substantial public service in

taking S&T to Lankan public BUT sadly, it also peddles:

Conspiracy theories by activists (without counter-views)

Bashing “Western Science” “Vidusara Generation” seems

to have permanently suspended their disbelief!

Problem of misinfo not new,but aggravated by new media spread

How can we ‘turbo-charge’ truth to keep up with untruths, half-truths and pseudo-science?

Too many voices, all demanding action “Policy making on the run”?

Multiple pressures from: affected persons; social or eco activists; political opponents; media, etc.

24/7 news cycle (TV news channels+social media): no time to weigh pros & cons

Policy makers need to be SEEN AS DOING SOMETHING all the time (never mind efficacy!)

Evidence-based, measured approach abandoned?

Populism & short-termism seem to dominate Can lead to: problem aggravation, progress

stagnation or even backsliding of progress…

Sirisena Manifesto:Conspiracy theories?

“…immediately prohibit the import and distribution of agrochemicals that were identified as causing kidney diseases”

Maithripala Sirisena Election Manifesto, Dec 2014. p30

January 2015: President Sirisena’s Challenge…“Now in office, president Sirisena faces the hard task of balancing the interests of public health, food security and farmer welfare. Paddy farmers, long accustomed to a massive state subsidy on chemical fertiliser, are unlikely to give that up without a fight.”

- Nalaka Gunawardene, in “Balancing History, Myths and Populism”SciDev.Net 31 Jan 2015: http://shar.es/1oiOn2

Media as part of the solution?My own approach to CKDu coverage

My approach in covering CKDu & related issues for the past few years: Balancing public health, agriculture &

environmental interests Amplifying findings & views of CREDIBLE,

properly peer-reviewed science Acknowledging UNCERTAINTIES & urging the

need for more study NOT romanticising any indigenous knowledge NOT idolising Lanka’s small, subsistence farmers

(they’re not as hapless as they seem or claim!)

WHAT IS TO BE DONE?1. Short-term recommendations

Set up Action Group for PUBLIC communication of CKDu related official info

Vastly increase SUPPLY of official, scientific information on CKDu using all possible ways: State media (still have considerable outreach) Health Education Bureau Govt Dept of Information

Step up use of new media methods: Dedicated CKDu official website Use of social media (peddle right info and also

counter myths & misconceptions)

WHAT IS TO BE DONE?2. Medium/Long term Recomms. Commission social science research on how

and why misinformation & pseudo-science spreads in Lankan soc: to identify countering strategies

Conduct more awareness & sensitisation progs for journalists on CKDu

Collaborate with Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) & university journalism depts to offer a course in science communication

You just CAN’T dictate terms to media:Change is only possible thru’ long-term collaboration: No quick fixes!

Poverty related stories

CRIME related stories!

In a ‘Marketplace of Ideas’, only so much all of us can do…

“The problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full doubts.” - Bertrand Russell

Blog: www.nalakagunawardene.comEnglish column archive:

https://collidecolumn.wordpress.com

Twitter: @NalakaG

This is a contested space:Always open for reasonable debate!