The role of broadcasting in health promotion in North America.

The range in the choice of viewing available to the British public by the end of the century could, and probably will, look much like that currently available to American viewers. This paper examines the implications to be drawn from American experience in determining future strategies for health promotion broadcasting in the UK. During a visit to the United States and Canada, sponsored by the King Edward's Hospital Fund for London, the author looked at the historical development and background to broadcasting services across North America and Canada, and at current policies and practice in broadcasting for the promotion of health. The first section provides an overview of the North American broadcasting systems, both the United States and Canada. The role of commercial interests is explored, particularly in relation to the existence and form of health promotion programming. The involvement of health professionals and community activists in the production of audio-visual material is discussed, particularly in the light of the competitive and pluralist nature of the television industry. The interests of the media professionals in promoting high audience ratings by attracting the attention of the public and holding it have their pros and cons for medical policy-makers. The shortcomings of the present situation in the United States where health and media professionals act not as educational partners but as business colleagues (so that viewers and patients are treated as consumers) forms a recurrent theme in the second section of the survey.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)