In Partnership With UNC-CH School of JOMC's Medical Journalism Program…
UNC-TV’S “NORTH CAROLINA NOW” AIRS
STI SERIES
Nov. 24, 25 & 26 Series Offers In-Depth Look at Sexually Transmitted Infections in NC

As part of its HealthWise initiative, UNC-TV’s weeknightly newsmagazine, North Carolina Now, will air a three-part series on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) during its 7:30 PM broadcasts November 24, 25 and 26 (repeating at 12:30 each night). Students in Dr. Tom Linden’s “Science Documentary Television” class in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill wrote and produced the reports. UNC-TV’s Mike Oniffrey was videographer/editor for the series.

“Sexually transmitted infections take a huge toll in terms of our nation’s health and welfare,” explained Linden, Glaxo Wellcome Distinguished Professor of Medical Journalism at UNC-CH. “Our series attempts to shed some light on this subject which some have called a ‘silent epidemic.’”

The first part of the series covers two common STIs, herpes simplex (HSV) and human papilloma (HPV) viruses, that can be spread by individuals unaware of their infection. Some strains of HPV are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Genital herpes is sometimes painful and can cause great psychological stress for people who have it, said Linden. Sara White produced the report, Michelle Bank served as associate producer and Adam Geller wrote the script. The three are undergraduate students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (JOMC) at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The series’ second part examines two of the most common bacterial STIs—gonorrhea and chlamydia— that state officials expect to cause more than 40-thousand new cases among North Carolinians this year. Thomas Mann produced the report and Wes Misson wrote the script. Both are students in the School of JOMC at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The final report looks at an emerging outbreak of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, among minority college students across North Carolina. This upsurge in cases has researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention investigating in NC. Pailin Wedel produced the report and Jinda Wedel served as associate producer. Both are UNC-Chapel Hill undergraduates. Anton Zuiker, a graduate student in the medical journalism program at UNC-Chapel Hill, wrote the script.

Linden narrates all three reports. Series content consultants consisted of Joan Cates, a doctoral candidate in the School of JOMC, and Dr. Peter Leone, medical director of the HIV/STD Prevention and Care Branch of the NC Department of Health and Human Services and associate professor in the departments of medicine, epidemiology, and microbiology and immunology in the UNC Schools of Medicine and Public Health. The series was funded by the William T. Grant foundation.

UNC-TV is taking the lead to improve the health of North Carolinians through its new initiative, HealthWise. Through programming, outreach and the HealthWise website (www.unctv.org/healthwise), UNC-TV offers an active role in supplying health information to more than 2 million viewers each week.

Since North Carolina Now’s 1993 launch, North Carolina’s only statewide weeknightly television newsmagazine continues looking at the pressing issues, noteworthy newsmakers, interesting and unusual places and artistic and cultural diversity that define the state. Covering a wide array of topics—including health, education, culture, environment, agriculture, development, politics and government—North Carolina Now brings viewers the background and insight needed to take advantage of all the state offers. From the mountains to the coast, the State Fair to the state line, North Carolina Now brings local issues and information home to viewers like you.

The University of North Carolina Center for Public Television is North Carolina’s 11-station, statewide television network, committed to using telecommunications wisely and imaginatively to inform, educate, and enrich all North Carolinians.

—UNC-TV—