MSU on the News: Christopher McKinley

Do Americans need to worry about the Ebola Virus? Dr. Christopher McKinley, School of Communication and Media program coordinator for the school’s health communication concentration, has been following the government’s flailing effort to communicate with the American public, and he has some thoughts on the issue. “There could have been a more concerted effort to be proactive in reaching out to the public prior to the situation in Dallas. While many did not expect the nurses to contract Ebola, officials could have allayed some of the panic that ensued by communicating clear guidelines about the risk to the population. In addition, although I have not researched the crisis communication strategy employed by the government during this episode, I would hope they considered utilizing multiple communication channels to reach all the citizens, whether it’s text messaging, social media, traditional media, every means available.”

McKinley also takes the opportunity to weigh in on the news coverage of the Ebola issue.  “I will say that certain sources, CNN, for example, seemed to take advantage of the situation to exacerbate the crisis. The ‘Ebola in America’ banner that was used in their countless segments framed the issue as a widespread epidemic in the country, when in reality, the chances of any average American contracting the virus are quite slim.”

However, not all of McKinley’s commentary on health related issues has the gravitas of the Ebola story. Take “The Big Bang Theory” for example.  The professor waxes eloquent on the character of Sheldon.  Does he or doesn’t he have Asperger Syndrome?  It’s the question on everyone’s lips.

McKinley urges caution. “I think what we are dealing with here is manifest content versus implicit content.  A lot of people may think he has Asperger’s – but it was never explicitly stated.  They would get kudos from people if it were portrayed accurately – so why wouldn’t they say it?”

The entertainment media, especially, can have a big impact on removing the stigma associated with mental illness.  McKinley says, “Historically, the media have done a poor job of portraying mental illness.  They tend to perpetuate negative stereotypes. Crime shows, in particular, often show people with mental illness being violent or threatening in some way.” Dr. McKinley points out the fact that Claire Danes character, Carrie Mathison, on “Homeland” is bipolar. “How viewers connect with her can play a significant role in how they view themselves and whether or not they get treatment.”

“Health communication is a social science,” says Dr. McKinley. “We have to be very careful; objectivity is the key.  If it’s not objective, then we just have a variety of different people’s perceptions.”

These are just a few of the many interesting topics Dr. Christopher McKinley is happy to discuss when asked about the field that is his passion: Health Communication. “Health is a very broad area, even though it is often viewed more narrowly when compared with areas like media or interpersonal communication,” says Dr. McKinley. “But the truth is that health can cut across all other disciplines. That’s what I like about it.  It’s an area where you can really see the impact that messages have on an issue that everyone has to deal with.”

One study that affirms McKinley’s argument about the importance of appropriate messaging is the relationship between news coverage, presidential rhetoric, and public support for health care reform. Working with a journalism professor, the two analyzed newspaper articles from major news outlets from the time President Obama first introduced the legislation to the time it was passed – nearly a year.  “It was interesting to see how different articles framed the topic,” said McKinley.  “The media coverage fluctuated quite a bit during this time period.  Initially, coverage was positive, and then it took a dip to a more negative tone.  At the end, it came up a little but remained most positive at the beginning.  What we found, though, was that the media actually had only a minimal effect on people’s opinions of the Health Care Reform Act.”