The Media Guide to Drugs: Key Facts and Figures for Journalists

Article Type: Book review From: Drugs and Alcohol Today, Volume 12, Issue 2

Drugscope LondonFree download at: www.drugscope.org.uk/resources/Media+Guide

I am a former senior correspondent at Sky News and Northern News Editor. In an 18-year career with Sky, I covered most of the major news stories in the North of England, including the Strangeways riots, the Bulger murder and the Shipman murders and trial. I also covered the July 2005 London bombings, and many more. During my career, I have also interviewed a number of drug addicts,covered numerous stories on the issue of legalisation, prescription heroin and treatment centres and sadly some of the tragedies that go hand-in-hand with addiction.

I have, therefore, read this book with two hats on, the first in my role as a television journalist. Based in the North of England, we were often required to regionalise a national drugs story, in addition to having several emanating from our patch. This meant reporting on drugs stories with swiftly gathered information from, by necessity, not always unbiased sources, or interviewing addicts and recovering addicts with often woefully inadequate preparation due to the time restraints and pressure imposed by a 24-hour news channel.

My second hat is as a senior lecturer in broadcast journalism at the University of Central Lancashire. There, I attempt to teach our journalists of tomorrow not only how to write, how to broadcast and how to evaluate stories,but also how to report accurately and, most importantly, in a credible professional manner, to ensure they provide a valuable alternative to the rise of citizen journalists.

With both roles in mind I found this guide to be a vital tool, one that will be added to my students' reading lists as a must and one that should be on every newsroom's shelf or reporter's laptop. As the sub-heading claims, this is a user-friendly reference book featuring a fact-filled A-Z of drugs. In addition, as a journalist always looking for the human element in a story, the case studies give a fascinating insight not only into the impact drug use had on them, but on the legacy it leaves behind. As Pearl Lowe says, her former drugs habit overshadows everything she has done since, no matter that she has been clean for six years. No doubt the media is more than partially responsible for that. It is a sharp reminder of our responsibilities as journalists, to not overcook a story, to give facts and information and to not over sensationalise. This book should prick the consciences of journalists. It enables them to report on drugs without the hysteria, factually and in an informed manner. I wish it had been available when I was a senior correspondent for Sky News. It would have saved me so much time and relieved many a patient"expert" of the role of explaining and contextualising the story. The roundup of useful organisations gives both working journalists and students a real head start, although being greedy, telephone numbers for press offices would have further enhanced this section.

The A-Z is a comprehensive guide presented in matter of fact language, simply and effectively with some real "Well I didn't know that" moments. It is a must for reporters wanting to write stories accurately, wanting to interview their own "case studies" without preconceived notions, and as a useful resource. Its sections on drugs and the law and the issues of legalisation are again a useful guides and with the added advantage of being continually updated on the web, they will at least provide journalists with the correct information. My only area of concern is in relation to the new figures being made available. Without that, this handbook quickly becomes dated so it is with relief that I noted the pledge to update the web site. One hopes reporters will note that and react.

The other slightly jarring note was the somewhat prescriptive top tips for interviewing. I will be recommending my students take notes, but I fear that experienced reporters will find its tone patronising. Perhaps to appease egos,it could have been more specifically targeted in its title towards those new to the industry.

Journalists will, for the most part be working to their own agenda and that of their newsroom, but hopefully with the aid of this book they will at least have the facts and information to do it responsibly and rationally.

Shirley LewisSenior Lecturer Broadcast Journalism, The University of Central Lancashire