2 CULTURES - ONE VOICE - PROBLEMS IN BROADCASTER HEALTH EDUCATOR COOPERATION

This article reports on some collaborative work between health educato rs and broadcasters in a health education project which used a radio d rama serial as a means of message dissemination, The aim of the drama, which was produced by a BBC local radio station, was to draw listener s' attention to certain health issues which were being addressed in ot her health promotion activities in the project, The research focused o n the process of collaboration in order to establish general principle s about the problems and potential of broadcaster/health educator co-o peration, The research findings show that collaboration can lead to a clash between the cultures of the health educator and the broadcaster, While on the surface the two may enjoy a harmony of interests, there may be conflict over the substance of the health messages communicated , At the centre of the conflict are definitions of 'professionalism'. For the BBC, in a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive broadc asting environment, the notion of professionalism takes on renewed sig nificance, As a consequence, the BBC is less willing to venture into a reas of broadcasting which, for a variety of reasons, may be 'controve rsial', The likely result is that health communicators will find their health message compromised.