Media Perspective: A Good Story

Media coverage about the risk associated with medical radiation exposures is increasing, and if not appropriately addressed could result in a drastic loss of public faith in the health benefits from the use of ionizing radiation in medicine. This paper explains from a journalistic perspective why the issue of radiological justification meets the criteria of a newsworthy topic, and outlines how to engage the news media in an outreach programme to achieve a new and better informed relationship between patients and those who deliver radiation in medicine. (author)