Higgins, M. (2004). Delaware Reports Second Avian Flu. The Washington Times. February 10, 2004.

A second case of avian influenza was found at a commercial farm in northern Sussex County, Delaware. It has been clarified that the H7-type strain is not harmful to humans and is not the same as the highly pathogenic bird flu that is crippling the Asian poultry industry. Yet, like many other serious health issues, the epidemic disease has been tracked closely by news media all over the world since it spread from Asia. Based on the frequencies and quantities of the news coverage of avian flu in media, it can be stated that the roles of mass media in public health crisis are significantly intensified, especially after the worldwide spread of SARS that broke out from Guangdong, China in May, 2003.

What responsibilities should mass media take in such health crises is a problem confronted both by communication scholars and media workers. As Jorgen Westerstahl( p. 121) advocates, ?a view of objectivity that encompasses factuality, including truthfulness and relevance, and impartiality, including balance/nonpartisanship and neutral presentation? should be practiced in news reporting. In the process of news reporting, what reporters ought to always keep in mind is to completely respect the public rights of knowing what is happening. Put briefly, the lofty idea of journalism is to make public know the truth.

The functions of mass media in public health issues can be conducted in the following aspects. Firstly, mass media should work as instructors to convey health information, common sense about keeping health and latest development in health science both included, to the public. The best treatment of diseases is prevention. In this case, mass media take the responsibility of public education. Secondly, mass media should be the watchtower to keep an eye on potential dangers in public hygiene. They should examine the status of public health from time to time and publish a sign of warning whenever there is any serious threaten towards public health. If any epidemic disease is ensured to be spreading, mass media should inform public of the breakout in the first place. Thirdly, mass media should provide correct directions on public perceptions towards health crises. They should locate the balance point of telling the public truth as much as possible and avoiding unreasonable public panic. The intentional disguise of breakout of SARS in southern China is a lively example of the neglect of ethical responsibilities of mass media under the pressure of governmental control. Fourthly, mass media should comfort public and help people get back to the normal lives after health crises.

Nevertheless, in practical journalism are there always negative factors impeding the conduction of mass media?s public responsibilities. Most of those hindrances root in the conflicts of specific interest groups. The most prominent one is government. In purpose of maintaining the social stabilization, at least the stabilization on the surface, government might impose pressures on mass media to keep the warnings of serious epidemic diseases reaching audience. The other interest group is business. To maximize the economic benefits, powerful corporations, in this case, corporations in health care area might take measures to impede the publication of reports which might infringe their interests.