The conference 'The ten commandments of medical journalism' leaves a message of hope for the profession of reporting. The invited speakers agreed on the need to emphasize rigor as a defense against attacks on credibility.
Held on Thursday, June 13 at the headquarters of the Association of Journalists of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (APT), the event was organized jointly with Hospiten, as part of the 'Health and Communication' project.
The speakers were Dr. Ricardo Cubedo, oncologist, head of Hereditary Cancer and Sarcomas at MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid and science communicator; Veronica Paves, journalist specializing in science, editor in charge of the Health, Science and Environment section of the newspapers El Dia-La Opinión de Tenerife and La Provincia-Diario de Las Palmas; Mayer Trujillo, journalist, director of Contents at COPE Canarias, director and presenter of La Mañana de COPE Canarias. The day ended with a round table moderated by Juan Manuel Pardellas, journalist and CEO of Bara Bara Comunicación. Salvador García Llanos, president of the APT, was in charge of welcoming the guests.
Over the course of two hours, the speakers, both during their talks and in the subsequent debate, which was animated by interventions from the audience, were unpacking the 'commandments' that should guide the journalist on the path of specialization, an opportunity to offer quality information, while at the same time, this journey involves distancing oneself from the 'fake news'.
It was clear that although social networks are a fertile ground for hoaxes, journalists should not be absent from them, as they are new platforms to reach people, trying to keep the good things they offer. The same was said about artificial intelligence.
The journalism of the future involves working with quality content, although in order to reach the new generations it is essential to approach them bearing in mind that they have grown up with a cell phone in their hands. A good professional should not fall into the temptation of looking for the easy or flashy headline, which moves away from the news itself. The good professional, in order to report well, must first be well informed. The main weapons of the journalist are still: to handle sources and to contrast.
The round table also emphasized the work of the writers Ricardo Cubedo, author of the book 'El órgano transparente'; and Verónica Pavés with 'Blas Cabrera, una vida magnética' (Blas Cabrera, a magnetic life). Not forgetting either the latest work of the moderator Juan Manuel Pardellas, 'Amor en paliativos', which tells the story of a woman with a terminal illness and her relationship with her partner.
This article is an English translation generated with Al from the original Spanish content. While we review content for clarity, the information is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis or treatment.