When members of the @CroakeyNews connective met in Albury earlier this year for a #CroakeyFutures planning meeting, it became clear that we need to do a better job of documenting and explaining what it is that we do.
This is especially important given that social journalism is a new and emerging field of journalism practice whose remit and purpose is probably not well understood, even among many journalists.
As well, Croakey’s participation in networked innovation and connective action means that we do more than publish articles online, but that many of these other activities are quite diffuse and intangible.
Hence, we have developed our first report to stakeholders – which you can download from our publications page. Please feel free to share the report with organisations or individuals who might like to support our work by joining the Croakey funding consortium.
Social journalism services
In 2017, Croakey’s activities included:
- Published 528 articles and 166 video interviews at Croakey.org
- Covered 18 conferences
- Achieved more than 470,000 page views and almost 280,000 unique views for Croakey.org and our articles on Apple News (combined), and also published on Facebook
- Three associated Twitter accounts had a collective impact of almost 11 million Twitter impressions, and more than 20,000 mentions
- Provided a high-impact platform for 80 guest tweeters at @WePublicHealth
- Launched #CroakeyGO – a world-first innovation in walking journalism
- Co-hosted the 4th Indigenous health Twitter festival, #IHMayDay
- Provided significant service through submissions, conference presentations, and publications.
Download the infographic below.
Dominant topics
For the 528 articles published in 2017, the dominant topics were public health and health promotion, Indigenous health, healthcare and health reform, health policy, mental health, health equity, advocacy, global health, the determinants of health, health in all policies, research and research translation, climate change, evidence-based issues and human rights.
Download the infographic below.
Twitter reach and impact
Many key opinion leaders in Australia and globally follow the three Twitter accounts associated with Croakey. The Twitter analytics below illustrate their significant reach and impact. As of 23 July 2018, @Croakeyblog has 21,300 followers; @WePublicHealth has 12,200 followers; and @CroakeyNews has 4,964 followers (with some overlap between each account’s followers).
Read the full report, prepared in April 2018, and initially distributed to members of the Croakey funding consortium.
Speaking of which, we are seeking applications from individuals and organisations who would like to join the funding consortium and support our work.
As the report notes:
We are in a time of immense and increasing threats to public health, in Australia and globally. These include climate disruption, conflicts, disasters, displacement of populations, environmental degradation, challenges to the sustainability of health and social systems, increasing social and economic inequality, rising populism, and the immense political and economic power of antihealth interests.
At the same time, the institutions charged with ensuring accountability of governments and other powerful interests are under attack. Public interest journalism in Australia and elsewhere is in crisis, as was made clear by many submissions to the 2017 Senate inquiry into the future of public interest journalism.
In times like these, it is more important than ever to support independent media that is committed to the public interest, and that provides a consistent focus on big-picture issues like climate change, health inequities, the health and wellbeing of Indigenous people, the social determinants of health, health in all policies, and planetary health…
Croakey continues to punch far above its weight in putting the spotlight on solutions to important public health challenges, through our publishing, social media and wider activities. We also contribute to the development of active, engaged communities of practice across diverse spheres and disciplines, including the community, research, policy and practice, and public health, Indigenous health, planetary health, global health, and healthcare.
Through our focus on innovation, we strive to develop opportunities for our networks to contribute to a more informed public debate, to support wider engagement in tackling critical public health concerns, and to enable greater accountability, whether of governments, mainstream media, service providers or other powerful interests.”
Thanks and acknowledgement
We thank and acknowledge those organisations that have committed to the latest round of the funding consortium.
- The Public Health Association of Australia
The PHAA is the principal non-government organisation for public health in Australia and works to promote the health and well-being of all Australians. The Association seeks better population health outcomes based on prevention, the social determinants of health and equity principles. - The Australian Health Promotion Association
The AHPA is Australia’s peak health promotion body, and the only professional association in Australia specifically for people interested or involved in the practice, research and study of health promotion. - The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association
The AHHA is the independent peak membership body and advocate for the Australian healthcare system and a national voice for universally accessible, high quality healthcare in Australia. The AHHA facilitates collaboration between clinicians, academics, policy makers, administrators and politicians. - The Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, UNSW conducts research, evaluation and development that strengthens primary health care and addresses health inequities, with the aim of contributing to better, fairer health in the community. We address current issues in policy and practice, and work with health and related services to implement our findings.
- Palliative Care Australia(PCA) is the peak body representing those who advocate for good quality palliative care for all Australians. PCA is committed to raising community awareness and understanding of palliative care to ensure all Australians access the care they need when they are at their most vulnerable.
- Public Health Advocacy Institute of WA (PHAIWA) promotes, develops and supports public health advocacy in Western Australia. It is an independent public health voice based within Curtin University, with a range of funding partners. The institute aims to raise the public profile and understanding of public health, develop local networks and create a statewide umbrella organisation capable of influencing public health policy and political agendas.
- VicHealth – the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation – is a pioneer in health promotion, with a primary focus on promoting good health and preventing chronic disease. VicHealth seeks to make health gains among Victorians by pre-empting and targeting improvements in health across the population, fostered within the day-to-day spaces where people spend their time, and with benefits to be enjoyed by all.
We would also like to acknowledge and pay tribute to Associate Professor Julie Leask for her generous personal donations to support Croakey.