Key Points
- With the rise of social media, the responsibility to critically analyse health information has shifted to the audience, emphasising the need for critical thinking.
- Juan Paolo Legaspi outlines the pervasive issue of misinformation and the crucial role of broadcasters and journalists in fact-checking and presenting qualified opinions.
- Advocating for cultural inclusivity, Legaspi stresses the importance of recognising and celebrating the cultural contributions of diverse healthcare workers.
Juan Paolo Legaspi, the President of National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters' Council in Australia, discusses the shift from traditional broadcast media to social media and online communications, highlighting the importance of credible information and cultural sensitivity.
He shared that the limited number of outlets in the past allowed for more controlled dissemination of information. However, with the rise of social media and online communications, information has become more democratised but also more fragmented and less regulated.
"If you go back even 20 years ago," he noted, "people would be watching broadcast media a lot more—TV, newspapers. This was the main form of information gathering," he shared.
"With the advent of social media and online communications, the landscape has transformed. Information dissemination has become more democratised. However, this also means there is less scrutiny over the accuracy and reliability of the information being shared. Consequently, the responsibility has shifted to the audience to critically analyse the information they receive," he added.
Combating Misinformation with Credible Sources
One of the biggest challenges, according to Legaspi, is combatting misinformation. He stressed the responsibility of media professionals to fact-check and present accurate information.
"The responsibility lies with the broadcaster or the journalist or whoever's presenting the story that they also have a responsibility to fact-check and offer qualified opinions," he stated. This becomes increasingly challenging but crucial in an era where misinformation can spread rapidly.
He also pointed out the importance of accessing a diverse set of information sources and ensuring the credibility of those sources.
"The best way to get reliable information is one: credibility—is the person qualified to actually give the opinion? And two: the relationship—is it a close family member or your general practitioner with whom you've developed a long-term trust?"
As the leader of a multicultural broadcasting group, Legaspi detailed efforts to tackle misinformation through community broadcasting. It enables local voices to contribute to the media landscape, enriching public discourse and promoting a deeper understanding of issues that affect multicultural communities.
"We are empowering communities to do citizen journalism and support language broadcasting. So it might not be their full-time job but they have training and support so that they can do accurate reporting," he explained, stressing the importance of communicating accurate information across different languages and cultures.
Cultural Considerations in Health Information
The discussion also touched on the unique vulnerabilities of the Filipino community. Legaspi highlighted that Filipinos are avid users of mobile phones and social media, which makes them particularly susceptible to misinformation.
He called for greater education and a cultural shift towards valuing expert opinions over those of influencers. "We need to develop that culture of listening to the experts," he said, highlighting the risks associated with parasocial relationships where the person feels a bond with someone they watch, listen to, or follow through media, even though the interaction is primarily one-way.
On the topic of health policy, Legaspi advocated for cultural sensitivity in healthcare settings. He pointed out that many healthcare workers already come from diverse backgrounds, particularly noting the significant presence of Filipino nurses in Australia. He called for a shift in perspective from viewing these professionals merely as a workforce resource to celebrating their cultural contributions. "We need to stop seeing Filipinos as a resource to be extracted for the health workforce but as an asset."
