BDA UPDATE
BDA’S IMPACT IN THE MEDIA www.bda.uk.com
For the British Dietetic Association (BDA), having a strong media presence both online and in the traditional press and broadcast media - is very important. Communicating with the public is a core part of our desire to educate the public, develop and influence policy and advance science and practice. Nutrition and diet are always popular news topics and rarely will a day go by without a story on a new piece of research or a feature on the latest fad diet. In 2016, Roxhill Media carried out analysis that showed that one in 10 health news stories related to diet - on a par with stories about new medicines and treatments. Unfortunately, reporting of science and health stories is often inaccurate and there are a great many people willing to offer opinions, whether or not they are qualified to do so. This makes it all the more important that the BDA is able to offer clear, evidencebased information to journalists. Of course, we aren’t just limited to commenting on nutrition and diet stories; we also work hard to ensure that the BDA voice is heard on wider health and policy issues, particularly those relating to the healthcare workforce. We also aim to be proactive in setting the news agenda as well as promoting dietitians and developing stories and news items based on our own policies and research, including the ever popular ‘Top Five Diets to Avoid’ each New Year. MEASURING OUR IMPACT
For a small organisation, the BDA punches well above its weight in terms of media presence and coverage, with our media spokespeople answering dozens of inquiries every month. In 2016, the BDA was mentioned over 2,300 times in UK print and broadcast media, with The Daily Mail, The 48
www.NHDmag.com October 2017 - Issue 128
Guardian, BBC Radio and The Huffington Post being the most frequent sources. Our spokespeople have also seen a growing TV presence, on shows such as Food Unwrapped and Supershoppers. Figures for the first half of 2017 show a continuing growth, with over 1,250 UK media mentions already. Our reach isn’t limited to the UK either, with over 490 stories reaching a global audience in the US, India, China and Australia to name but a few. SOCIAL AND ONLINE
Nowadays, news is consumed in a variety of ways and particularly on social media. Younger audiences are increasingly getting their news and information from online sources. A survey carried out for us by Populus earlier this year showed the 18-25 age group are most likely to trust online sources, such as bloggers, for their diet and nutrition advice. Facebook and Twitter help us react quickly to news stories or trends and also allow us to more easily promote our own messages, stories and campaigns. The recent Dietitians Week 2017 campaign had a theme of ‘Evidence and Expertise’, and the posts and content shared throughout just that week had a potential combined audience in excess of one million people. These numbers are comparable with coverage in conventional news outlets, reflecting our need to remain up to date with the latest social media trends. We have most recently launched