ABSTRACT

This article explores the media-related practices of Australian mental health organisations by drawing upon interviews with people whose role was either the CEO, Director, or communications and media manager of the organisation. The findings suggest that organisations have become increasingly sophisticated in their media and communication activities. Participants discussed practices such as packaging stories to accommodate news values and journalists’ routines, strategically using digital and social media, providing media training, and facilitating contact between journalists and people with lived experience. Participants also identified challenges, including a tension between being in the media for the purposes of advancing advocacy objectives and for branding the organisation. The analysis is informed by research into the mediatisation of organisations, journalists’ experiences reporting on mental health issues and Mad Studies scholarship, which provides a critical lens through which to think about the practices of organisations, journalists and other actors in the mental health field.

摘要

本文通过访谈澳大利亚精神卫生组织与媒体有关的做法，这些访谈是由该组织的首席执行官，董事或传播与媒体经理担任的。调查结果表明，组织在媒体和传播活动方面日趋成熟。与会者讨论了一些做法，例如包装故事以适应新闻价值和新闻工作者的日常活动，战略性地使用数字和社交媒体，提供媒体培训，并促进新闻工作者与经验丰富的人们之间的联系。与会者还确定了挑战，包括在媒体中为促进倡导目标和为组织建立品牌之间的紧张关系。