Health from the flickering box
Column: Health-related TV shows are booming. Media outlets are hoping for hefty advertising revenue from the pharmaceutical industry—and are resorting to questionable methods to achieve this.
Column Health programs are booming. Media outlets are hoping for high advertising revenues from the pharmaceutical industry - and are using dubious methods to do so. There must be something to be gained from private clinics and the pharmaceutical industry." That's what many executives in the media scene have been thinking recently and are building on health magazines. Numerous small publishers are trying their hand at it in print, while every regional TV station is creating its own medical soup. As a result, numerous inquiries from new editorial teams are landing on the desks of communications managers in the pharmaceutical industry every week. They all promote their program and hope for immeasurable advertising revenue. In return, they offer "independent editorial content" which - quite by chance - pushes the sponsor's product. But: Prescription drugs may not be advertised. That's what the Therapeutic Products Act wants. However, media managers in the pharmaceutical industry also like to receive visits from highly motivated advertising salespeople from TV stations who have no idea that medicines may not be advertised. Recently, one such media representative made a wonderful offer that would have passed muster for a lifestyle or home magazine. When he was told about the problem, he was speechless and said: "Ahaaa - what do we do now?" Good question. Back to field 1 and maybe study the basics of advertising regulations and the Therapeutic Products Act.
So the search is on for loopholes. Or to put it more accurately: people are looking for loopholes that turn a blind eye. These are found in large numbers; in the person of production managers or publishing people. They like to turn a blind eye, cash in, and the next program happens to feature an article about vaccination against cervical cancer or the importance of taking vitamin tablets. The whole thing is then billed under cover, for example as "advice". A publishing house or a TV station "advises" pharmaceutical companies? If you can believe it...
A look across the border: Germany has more than 30 programs about medicine, fitness and wellness. These range from "Fit for Fun TV" on Vox to "Was Grossmutter noch wusste" on SWR. We could zap our way through the wildest health programs every day from 11 a.m. and be thoroughly entertained. But: German-speaking Switzerland is so tiny that these regional medical programs are simply a waste of energy. Although most of them are "nicely" made, there is usually a lack of professionalism. Another issue is the all-important target group. Young people hardly ever watch such programs. The average age of viewers is 55, so the topic of contraception would be out of place there.
My tip: It would be worthwhile merging the existing regional health programs into a single program in the style of "Puls" on SF1, which would then be broadcast on the Telenews combination. Good role models here are magazines such as "Swiss Date" or "Lifestyle". Anyone who really wants to be taken seriously as a competitor to SF today cannot seriously believe that a health program with an editorial team that knows little about medical topics would be supported by the pharmaceutical industry for any length of time. From the editors' point of view, the topics should be as easy to implement as possible. However, if you want to present exciting medical topics well, you have to familiarize yourself with the subject.
Karin Müller is a communications consultant in Zurich.
So the search is on for loopholes. Or to put it more accurately: people are looking for loopholes that turn a blind eye. These are found in large numbers; in the person of production managers or publishing people. They like to turn a blind eye, cash in, and the next program happens to feature an article about vaccination against cervical cancer or the importance of taking vitamin tablets. The whole thing is then billed under cover, for example as "advice". A publishing house or a TV station "advises" pharmaceutical companies? If you can believe it...
A look across the border: Germany has more than 30 programs about medicine, fitness and wellness. These range from "Fit for Fun TV" on Vox to "Was Grossmutter noch wusste" on SWR. We could zap our way through the wildest health programs every day from 11 a.m. and be thoroughly entertained. But: German-speaking Switzerland is so tiny that these regional medical programs are simply a waste of energy. Although most of them are "nicely" made, there is usually a lack of professionalism. Another issue is the all-important target group. Young people hardly ever watch such programs. The average age of viewers is 55, so the topic of contraception would be out of place there.
My tip: It would be worthwhile merging the existing regional health programs into a single program in the style of "Puls" on SF1, which would then be broadcast on the Telenews combination. Good role models here are magazines such as "Swiss Date" or "Lifestyle". Anyone who really wants to be taken seriously as a competitor to SF today cannot seriously believe that a health program with an editorial team that knows little about medical topics would be supported by the pharmaceutical industry for any length of time. From the editors' point of view, the topics should be as easy to implement as possible. However, if you want to present exciting medical topics well, you have to familiarize yourself with the subject.
Karin Müller is a communications consultant in Zurich.
