AHCJ has sent a questionnaire, based on our members' suggestions, to the 2008 presidential candidates. See the letter that was sent and the list of questions. We will post the candidates' responses on the Web site for AHCJ members to use for their reporting.
AHCJ recently sent a questionnaire, based on our members' suggestions, to the 2008 presidential candidates. Here is the letter that was sent and the list of questions. We will post the candidates' responses on the Web site for AHCJ members to use for their reporting.
Dear [Candidate's Name],
The Association of Health Care Journalists, a nonprofit organization of more than 1,000 health care reporters, editors, news directors, and producers from across the nation, is asking each presidential candidate to complete a modest yet significant questionnaire to assist in our members' reporting.
Our membership includes journalists working in print, broadcast, and online media, from markets as large as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington, D.C., to smaller rural and ethnic outlets.
We will be celebrating our 10th anniversary at our national conference (Health Journalism 2008) this March in Washington, D.C. The coming debate over Health Policy will be a big topic. With health care at the top of the nation's domestic agenda this campaign season, our members are being asked by the public to provide a clear picture of each candidate's views on various health care issues ranging from insurance to health care disparities. They are also being asked to discuss each candidate's proposals for changing the system.
In an effort to allow you to speak to all of these journalists at once, we are asking each candidate to complete this survey made up of questions submitted by these same journalists. The answers you submit will be available through the organization's Web site, www.healthjournalism.org.
We would like you to complete the questionnaire and return your responses by December 3. We would like to post both the questions and your answers on December 10 to provide equal access to reporters who are interested in following up. If your staff would like to provide an electronic version of the answers, please send them to candidates@healthjournalism.org along with a contact name and number for verification.
If you need more information or have questions, please contact me at 646-758-7804 or our executive director Len Bruzzese at 573-884-5607. We look forward to your participation and the vigorous discussion that your answers will surely stimulate.
Kindest regards,
Trudy Lieberman
President
