2008 Radio runner-up
Rebecca Dixon is 19 years-old and lives in Bolton. Rebecca wrote about eating disorders.
Help stop eating disorders
Eating disorders affect 1.1 million people in the UK. With media often blamed for this, and accused of encouraging it with "size zero" debate etc. I think a good angle would be for a radio to encourage help, and promote healthy images. This would also enable the radio station to link their website into the news item.
Interviews
- A recovered sufferer who found help
- Someone currently suffering from an eating disorder
- Member of Beat website (leading UK charity for people suffering with eating disorders)
- Member of the Dove "Real Women" Campaign
- Celebrity/Beauty expert/Magazine editor
Locations
Face to face interviews with each.
Edited to create small audio packages, used live in News.
Angle
Eating disorders have taken a back seat in the news since the size zero debate, but are still around. Are we beyond stopping them? What triggers the disorders? And can the media help?
The radio could possibly use the angle of having links on their website for help, and the interviews not used in the news bulletin, on their website.
News Story
(Insert Radio Station name) are today launching a campaign to help beat eating disorders. With 1.1 million people in the UK battling with these disorders, we spoke to Beat, a UK Charity for people suffering with eating disorders, to ask why it’s so high...
Audio from Beat
- (Name of sufferer) battled with anorexia for years and agrees with Beat that more help is needed for sufferers....
Audio from sufferer
- So with the media taking quite a bashing for these current climates, we’re now encouraging people to love themselves and gain help. (Name of celebrity) agrees that action needs to be taken, and is encouraging people to take steps to stop eating disorders....
Audio from Celebrity - to hear more of these interviews, or for more information on help, visit our website.
Quote from the judging panel
This approach was more of a social action campaign. The suggested case study interviews would make for compelling listening. I also liked the proposal of using the radio station’s web site to offer additional material and a call to action.