For the Media
The UMHS Media Team provides assistance to news reporters, photographers and video crews who wish to arrange phone interviews or in-person sessions with UMHS physicians, scientists, staff and patients.
We find that our assistance, whether in arranging a simple phone conversation or an elaborate video shoot, makes the interaction go much more smoothly for all involved.
Our assistance and presence is REQUIRED for any visits by members of the media to all UMHS facilities, including Medical School laboratory buildings.
Patients who will be interviewed on video or photographed within a UMHS facility must sign a release form, available from our department. Please call us at 734-764-2220 or e-mail UMHSmedia@med.umich.edu to arrange interviews, visits or patient interactions.
Our services:
- News releases and tipsheets via fax, mail and e-mail. To receive UMHS releases and tipsheets, fill out our online form.
- Assistance identifying sources and scheduling interviews with experts from the U-M Medical School, U-M Hospitals and Health Centers. Complete logistical support for broadcast or photography shoots is available; please give as much notice as possible.
- Assistance as field producers for video or radio interviews, including conducting interviews when producers cannot accompany their crew.
- Interviews with UMHS faculty and staff via our in-house broadcast-quality ISDN line or the U-M satellite TV facility.
- U-M Health Minute - a monthly package of sound bites and B-roll that TV stations can use to produce consumer-oriented health reports. Press releases on the same topics are available to all media via fax or e-mail. Contact Krista Hopson for more information.
- Weekly radio reports on health and medicine. Stations can call to tape the professionally produced report or a selection of sound bites they can use to build their own story. For more information, contact Andi McDonnell.
- B-roll and photographs, as available.
- Coordination with the U-M News & Information Services office on news and news issues.
Health Minute
Since January 1999, the UMHS Public Relations Office has provided TV, radio and print media in Michigan, northern Ohio and nationwide with Health Minute, a weekly "health news you can use" story directed at general health consumers.
From colds to bone marrow transplants, back pain to heart attacks, the UMHS Health Minute aims to raise public awareness about a diverse range of health topics, including many with broad public health importance. The stories are drawn from information and interviews provided by top UMHS experts.
TV and radio producers receive a package of professionally produced "bites and B-roll" as well as an accompanying press release.
Print editors receive the press release, including World Wide Web addresses and a telephone number to help their reporters and readers find more information on the week's topic.
For radio news directors, the U-M Radio News Service offers radio stations with news reports, radio transcripts, press releases and sound bites from UMHS experts. Stations are welcome use the entire package, revoice the transcript or just download soundbites.
To read current Health Minutes, go to the UMHS Newsroom front page..
To find out how your station or publication can receive UMHS's weekly Health Minute, contact Krista Hopson at 734-764-2220, for more information.
