WHEN Development Meeting, August 2007

WHEN Development Meeting Notes
15 August 2007

Attending: Franklin Apfel, Linda Carrier-Walker, Nigel Duncan, Stephen Hancocks, Christina Lee Thorsen

Discussion summary:

1. Who?
Core target group (and marketing focus) to be Health Professional Journal Editors. Secondary groups to include editors of mainstream media (print, radio, tv, electronic). Other groups to be engaged based on issue of focus, e.g., environment, social affairs, etc.

2. What?
The network, while facilitated by PIOs from WHPA and WHCA, is to work towards the development of an editors’ executive board and leadership structure. The network will provide a unique international, inter-professional exchange and action platform dedicated to exploring and strengthening communications as a positive determinant of health.

3. Why?
Editors should be interested in joining this network because its unique inter-professional (with multiple professional perspectives and information) /international (information from all Regions) platform will provide an ongoing source of critically useful intelligence both for their own development and importantly for the market positioning of their journals.

4. How?

a. WHEN brochure to be agreed , printed and distributed (using existing funds). 

b. Key journal editors, representing all 6 WHO Regions, will be convened in London in November/December around a news worthy event, e.g., World Aids Day, MDGs, Climate Change, etc (using existing funds). Links with International Press Institute (IPI) annual meeting [1] to be explored. Editors to explore WHEN rationale, organisation and development plans. Plans for a major event around the WHPA/WHA May 2008 meetings to be agreed. In parallel WHEN will seek to identify network “champions” in each Region and pursue Regional network development.

c. WHEN briefing regarding WHPA/WHA issues to be commissioned by WHCA (with existing funds).
  
d. Other potential “ cuckoo-ing” events to be identified, e.g., FDI meeting Peru June 2008.

e. Funding sources to be identified and grant applications filed. Possible sources identified - Reuters Foundation, OSI, GTZ, Gates, Clinton, SIDA, DANIDA, DfID, etc. Other possible content supporting agencies to be identified, e.g., London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, King’s Fund, Global Fund, WHO, UNICEF, key associations, etc. for the purpose of sustaining the program for the long term.

f. Other activity areas to be explored - Web based convening service, e.g., Ask Charity; Speaker’s bureau- bank of experts; Web based stories of the month from around the world in addition to adding value to WHEN, this will help with geographic and time barriers.

5. By whom?
WHCA to redraft Brochure with comments from all. All PIOs to identify potential board editors; including editors from each of the WHO Regions.  Brochure to be cleared through all organisations. Brochure to be distributed to national association journal editors. All to feel out potential funders. WHCA to follow-up with grant applications as needed.   

 

[1] IPI has an annual meeting of media executives and editors around press freedom issues. They have expressed interest in having a health group.