Conference promotion in the media: serving whose interests?

Conference presentations are preliminary findings which should be interpreted with caution by the media, health professionals and the public

When organisers began planning the XXIXth International Congress of Ophthalmology, held in Sydney earlier this year, an early consideration was how to promote media coverage of the conference, with the aim of raising public awareness of the specialty of ophthalmology and eye health more generally. A company which specialises in media relations for medical conferences was retained to work with the conference scientific program committee to develop a media strategy. As a result of the press releases issued, there were more than 520 news reports in print, broadcast and online media in Australia and overseas, including substantial stories in major media outlets.