Public Media Coverage of Rare Diseases and Disorders:The Case of Spanish Public Broadcasting Corporation

Abstract

Rare diseases and disorders are, as the names suggest, a strange or unusual health condition, and so the coverage given by the media is not as extensive as it could be. However, researchers point out that this situation is changing little by little, and there is now more information about those who suffer from these conditions, and their experience. It is quite interesting to see how the public media, especially in the case of Spain, are making a great effort to give a voice and space to people affected by such diseases. In the case of public media, there are many other aspects to be considered. Firstly, the Spanish Broadcasting Corporation, Radio Televisión Española (RTVE) is not tied to private finance. Secondly, these channels are expected to be more independent and, subsequently, there may be no additional pressure to reach high audience share or obtain external funding from private media companies. This is especially interesting in the case of radio broadcasting, as it tends to be a medium with a high level of credibility, and closeness to the audience.