Last weekend, CCTV's "New Investigation" aired an unprecedented programme about the relationship between HIV/AIDS and gay men in China.

While the show aimed to demonstrate that stigmatizing gay men and irresponsible sexual behaviour both increase the risk of HIV transmission in China's gay communities, it failed to place this vulnerable group in the larger context of the country's AIDS epidemic. This omission could lead the television audience to mistakenly believe gay men are responsible for spreading AIDS in China, or that homosexuality causes AIDS.

The media play a vital role in the joint response to HIV/AIDS. Objective and complete reporting is crucial for informing the general population.

According to a recent national survey, 87 per cent of Chinese consider television news programmes a reliable source of HIV/AIDS information, and up to half trust newspapers.

Undoubtedly the media could be instrumental in encouraging discussion of what remains a taboo.

China has an estimated 840,000 HIV cases, with needle sharing remaining the primary mode of transmission, accounting for 44 per cent of all infections. Sexual transmission accounts for 30 per cent of cases -- of which 11.1 per cent follow unprotected gay sex, or 3 per cent of all confirmed HIV infections.

Experts warn China may have between 10 million and 15 million HIV/AIDS cases in five years.

Media organizations have a social duty to be credible, trusted sources that reflect the diverse and changing society. The media should not be proscriptive, but should help its audience form their own informed opinions.

The media play an important role in setting the public agenda. HIV/AIDS needs to hold a more predominant position on the agenda of national and local policy-makers.

Reporting on HIV/AIDS is not easy. Fear, ignorance, prejudice, denial, and cultural and political considerations all play a part in how individuals view HIV/AIDS.

Ethical dilemmas such as balancing what is in the public interest with the interests of the individual need to be resolved by journalists and the media profession as a whole.

To realize the important role the media have in combating HIV/AIDS in China, journalists need to understand the relevant medical, economic, political and international factors.

Chinese journalists are just beginning to discuss their role in China's national HIV/AIDS prevention strategy. Few concentrate on HIV/AIDS beyond December 1, the World AIDS Day, and few outlets have committed to ongoing coverage.

Ensuring interesting and ethical reporting of HIV/AIDS is no longer enough -- journalists and media institutions need to think beyond individual stories and develop an overall sustained strategy for their involvement in the struggle.

The media could improve their HIV/AIDS and healthcare reporting by developing a resource centre where journalists could access reliable and current information such as quotes, statistics and other resources required for balanced reporting.

Another important step would be to create a national platform for healthcare reporting by engaging and training media professionals to promote the development of leaders and experts dedicated to reporting on HIV/AIDS and other healthcare matters.

While it is clear China's top-level policy-makers have demonstrated a strong personal commitment to combating HIV/AIDS, the media, being strategically placed to educate, need to play a proactive and responsible role in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

(China Daily August 24, 2005)