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Science Journalism
WINNER - Self Inflicted Sickness
Journalist Gives Health Conundrum the Full Treatment
Should we be able to make ourselves sick? And if we do, who should foot the bill?
Starting amid a cacophony of young drinkers and smokers on the streets of Brisbane's Fortitude Valley at midnight, the radio documentary Self Inflicted Sickness? considers the growing problem of preventable disease and the moral, ethical and economic challenges it poses for governments.
"Making ourselves sick is becoming a luxury we as a society can't afford," says ABC journalist Ian Townsend in the 50-minute piece he wrote and presented for Radio National's Background Briefing.
Townsend's examination of the ramifications of people's tendency to self-harm has won the 2010 Australian Government Eureka Prize for Science Journalism.
Ian Townsend's nuanced treatment of social responsibility in relation to preventable illness is a thought-provoking addition to the public debate about how far government may go in enforcing good health.
The program anticipated the Federal Government's recent decision to impose further conditions on the sale of tobacco, making our regulations among the most stringent in the world.
In addition to the cost and damage caused by tobacco, Townsend in his documentary examines the public health and economic effects of alcohol and eating too much.
His extensive research includes interviews with health economists, surgeons, doctors, lawyers and academics to tease out the intricacies of the issues involved.
Townsend notes that the total cost of preventable illness in Australia remains unknown, but the net cost of treating smoking-related illnesses alone is $318 million a year. Does that mean we should stop spending money on those who choose to smoke or drink such as the young party-goers on the streets of Fortitude Valley?
Complicating matters, it turns out that Australia's 3 million smokers more than pay their own way, with the Federal Government receiving about $7 billion a year from tobacco taxes. The evidence even suggests health costs will go up if everybody stops smoking and lives longer.
It creates Yes Minister-style dilemmas for our governments, according to Townsend, and he includes a wry excerpt from the 30-year-old BBC satirical series in which civil servant Sir Humphrey declares: "Smokers are national benefactors."
Brisbane-based Townsend was a finalist for the 2007 Eureka Prize for Science Journalism and has previously won the Eureka Prize for Health and Medical Research Journalism and the 1999 Eureka Prize for Science, Technology and Engineering Journalism.
The $10,000 Eureka Prize for Science Journalism is awarded to an Australian journalist or communicator whose work is assessed as having most effectively explained scientific or technological issues to the public. It is sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.
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Sponsor
The Australian Government Eureka Prize for Science Journalism is sponsored by Australian Government Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research.
Description
The prize is awarded to an Australian journalist(s) or communicator(s) whose work is assessed as having most effectively communicated scientific and/or technological issues to the public. These issues include the natural, physical or applied sciences (including agricultural sciences), engineering, information technology, technological innovation, design and development, health science issues, issues in science policy as well as work that presents the social and/or economic contributions of science and technology.
prize
$10,000
Purpose
The Australian Government Eureka Prize for Science Journalism is designed to encourage the continuing flow of quality information to the public about developments or discoveries in science, particularly in physics, chemistry, biology, geology, the marine sciences and engineering, that impact on our lives.
The pace of change and growth in new knowledge, including reassessments of what was previously accepted, is something the community can better understand if it is properly informed about such developments.
The prize is also intended to encourage the continuing quality of science journalism in Australia, and to encourage editorial support for quality science journalism in our newspapers, news, current affairs programs and magazines.
Judging Criteria
Where the entry is by a research group, all members of the group must meet this criterion;
Judging criteria:
Newsworthiness - timely work that adds to or encourages debate on current issues
Depth and detail - of coverage of issues or discoveries, and the quality of science explanation involved
Impact - work is noteworthy for its positive effect or influence in the community
Scientific accuracy - work is factually correct
Effectiveness - work makes a balanced and significant contribution to greater public understanding and appreciation of contemporary issues or developments in science
Creativity in communicating concepts and ideas - work engenders interest by using creative and clear communication
Appropriateness of content - material is pitched at the right level in terms of complexity and technical issues for the audience involved; and
Adherence to ethical standards - work adheres to the highest standard of investigative journalism - including the MEAA Code of Ethics.
The judges will give particular emphasis to work that informs and influences public and/or corporate attitudes to science or to significant issues in science.
Conditions of entry
The prize is open to individuals or groups.
Entrants must submit pieces that best represent their work (maximum of 5 per entry). In addition to this, supporting articles can be supplied if they enhance the aforementioned entry.
Work entered in this prize must have been:
• undertaken by an Australian citizen(s) or Australian resident(s). Where the entry is by a group, all members of the group must meet this criterion; and
• published or broadcast for the first time in the Australian media within 12 months prior to the close of entries.
Entrants are required to declare and disclose any subsequent corrections or challenges to the accuracy of an entry, or claims of plagiarism or defamation against the work submitted.
Where content from other sources is incorporated for purposes of proper coverage of the topic, this must be attributed.
The following are NOT eligible for this prize:
- * collations of materials previously published elsewhere;
* work which is of an editorial nature;
* books and magazines;
* material that has appeared only on the internet, either in websites or e-mails. (On-line journalistic pieces may, however, be included as part of a broader portfolio entry).
Online entry forms close midnight AEST Friday 7 May 2010. Hard copy entries will not be considered until and unless an online entry form has been completed.
Completed entries must be received by the Australian Museum no later than 5pm AEST on Friday 14 May 2010. Entries delivered to the Australian Museum after this time will not be considered.
Entries with insufficient sets of documentation will not be considered. Submitted material will not be returned.
Work entered for this prize may not be entered/nominated for another Australian Museum Eureka Prize.
The deliberations of the judging panel remain confidential. All recommendations and decisions taken are binding and final and no correspondence will be entered into on such matters. The judges reserve the right not to award a Prize in any given year if, in their view, the quality of entries is insufficiently meritorious.
Information provided by the entrant(s) in relation to the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (including photos), may be used by the Australian Museum for promotional/publicity purposes. This may include, and is not restricted to, the information being used on websites, social media, printed material, advertisements, press releases etc.
Personal information provided in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes will be used only by the Australian Museum and only in connection with the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes.
How to enter
1. Complete an online entry form
Complete the online entry form by midnight AEST on Friday 7 May 2010. Make sure you print out a copy.
2. Prepare five (5) sets of the entry, with each set consisting of:
1. a printed copy of the online entry form as submitted
2. a statement of 200 words describing the circumstances behind the entry, eg. The origin of the idea, effort in making it a reality, difficulties encountered, or any other matter considered by the entrant to be relevant to its consideration by the judges
3. the relevant material being entered (not necessarily originals). Television entries should be submitted in CD or DVD format.
2. Submit the entry
Submit five (5) complete and separate sets of the entry clipped together (not bound). Please do NOT bother with elaborate presentation when submitting the entry. This will be removed before material is sent to judges. The five (5) sets of the entry should be sent to:
Eureka Prize for Science Journalism
Australian Museum
6 College Street
SYDNEY NSW 2010
3. DEADLINE for submission of entries
The five (5) sets of the entry must be received at the Australian Museum by 5pm AEST on Friday 14 May 2010. Entries received after this time will not be considered.
If you require further information or help, please contact the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes Unit on +61 2 9320 6483 or email eureka@austmus.gov.au
