MediaLab researcher highlights transparency and media literacy at the 21st National Congress of Health Journalists

Carlos Maciá Barber, member of MediaLab, and professor of Journalism at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid participated as an invited speaker in the roundtable discussion “Who Decides Which Health Stories We Tell? The Invisible Agenda of Health Reporting” at the 21st National Congress of Health Journalists, organised by Spain’s National Association of Health Journalists (ANIS). Held under the overarching theme “The Integrity of Health Information: The Great Battle”, the congress brought together health, medical, media, and journalism education professionals to reflect on the challenges facing health information and communication.

During the discussion, Maciá-Barber emphasised the importance of transparency in health communication, raising fundamental questions about why information is produced, whom it serves and whose interests shape media agendas. He highlighted the lack of transparency surrounding media funding, advertisers and their potential influence, as well as the limited accountability of media organisations to their own audiences. He argued that the right to health and the right to information are fundamental rights, and that a lack of access to reliable information can have serious consequences for individuals and society.

He also addressed public attitudes towards the regulation of health communication, citing a study conducted in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in which 75% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that health communication should be regulated, with oversight coming from external bodies. Reflecting on this complex position, Maciá-Barber discussed co-regulation as a way forward, bringing journalists together with institutions responsible for overseeing health communication. He further linked these challenges to shortcomings in both health literacy and media literacy, noting that many people lack the knowledge and skills needed to critically interpret information and distinguish independent reporting from content shaped by vested interests.

Finally, Maciá-Barber highlighted the need to improve the quality of health information and rebuild public trust in the media through education, training and collaboration. He advocated bringing together different areas of expertise and stakeholders, including media organisations and companies, within an observatory that could contribute to more transparent and responsible health communication. His participation reflected MediaLab research interest in the relationship between journalism, health communication and the public’s right to reliable information.