Press Release 21st September 2004 Shortlist announced for Mental Health Media Awards 2004 Viewer feedback initiative announced An initiative from the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) aiming to encourage more feedback from viewers of broadcast coverage around mental health, coincides with the announcement of this year's Mental Health Media Awards shortlist. Covering seven categories, the Mental Health Media Awards recognise excellence in portrayals of mental distress in the broadcast media across news, documentary and drama. Twenty-two short-listed entries will face the judges in the final round of the 2004 awards. The winners of each category will be announced, and the awards presented, at the Mental Health Media Awards 2004 ceremony to be held at BAFTA, London on 13th October 2004. The shortlisting panel looked for inspiring and informed broadcasts that portrayed issues around mental health in a fair, accurate and sensitive way. Entries were shortlisted because they challenged preconceptions, confronted common myths and prejudice and avoided negative and damaging stereotypes. Crucially, shortlisted broadcasts placed the voice and knowledge of people who experience mental distress at the heart of the story. The National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE) has also announced that they will be undertaking an analysis of data on broadcast media coverage of mental health. In addition, NIMHE will be publishing a guide to help encourage viewers to give feedback to journalists on mental health coverage, including how to complain about stigmatising or inaccurate portrayals and reporting. Ingrid Steele, The Director of Underpinning Strategies for the National Institute of Mental Health in England comments: "The Mental Health Media Awards show how powerful television and radio can be in helping people understand mental health issues. But equally, getting it wrong can be really damaging to the lives of people with mental health problems. "Many people feel intimidated complaining to a regulator, but unless we give feedback to broadcasters and regulatory bodies, they can't take action. To help make this as easy as possible, we will be publishing a 'how to' guide in October." The full shortlist is as follows: Radio Drama Radio 4 Afternoon Play: Miracle Postponed (BBC for BBC Radio 4) Radio 4 Afternoon Play: Hiding Leonard Cohen (BBC for BBC Radio 4) Radio 4 Afternoon Play: City of Dreams (BBC for BBC Radio 4) TV and Radio News BBC Six O'Clock News Special Report: Growing Pains (BBC for BBC One) Brian Hayes Programme (BBC for BBC Radio 5 Live) Channel 4 News: Suicide Report (ITN for Channel Four News) Channel 4 News: Death By Restraint: Rocky Bennett story (ITN for Channel 4 News) Single Drama & Drama Serial May 33rd (Endor Productions for BBC One) The Illustrated Mum (Granada Kids for Channel 4) Raising Public Awareness Radio 1 Mental Health Campaign - Head2Head (BBC Radio for BBC Radio 1) This Morning: Mind Matters Week (Granada Television for ITV) All in the Mind - Black Mental Health Special (BBC for BBC Radio 4) Soap & Drama series Family Affairs (Talkback Thames for Channel Five) The Archers (BBC for BBC Radio 4) Westway (BBC for BBC World Service) Factual Radio Between Ourselves: Manic Depression (BBC Birmingham for BBC Radio 4) Woman's Hour: Mental Health Special (BBC for BBC Radio 4) The Gary Robertson Show (BBC for BBC Radio Scotland) TV Documentary Adam Ant: The Madness of Prince Charming (Planet Wild for Channel 4) An Artist's Guide to Schizophrenia (Panglos Productions for The Community Channel) O Flaen dy Lygaid: Camu Mlaen (BBC for BBC Wales on S4C) Animated Minds (DFG and APT Films for Channel 4) Notes for Editors 1. For further details please contact Katie Brudenell on 020 7700 8171 or email katie.brudenell@mhmedia.com / www.mhmawards.com 2. The Mental Health Media Awards will be presented at 6.30pm on Wednesday 13th October 2004 at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly, London, W1V 0LN 3. The 2004 Judges are: Paul Abbott, screenwriter Shameless; State of Play; Clocking Off Jenni Murray, Writer and Broadcaster, Woman's Hour BBC Radio 4 Liz Main, Journalist and Survivor James McAteer, Media Action Group for Mental Health Donna Franceschild, Screenwriter The Keys; Donovan Quick Paul Grey, Social Entrepreneur Shelley Jofre, Journalist (Panorama) Roger Graef, Films of Record Catherine Jackson, Editor of Mental Health Today Elizabeth Henry, Commission for Public & Patient Involvement Chinyere Inyama, Mental Health Lawyer, Mental Health Tribunal President 4. Mental Health Media uses all media to promote the voices of people with experience of mental distress and challenge the discrimination they face. We produce a wide range of video and new media resources and offer training, advice and support to people with experience of mental distress. We also work with journalists and broadcasters to inform their coverage of mental health issues. 5. Mental Health Media Awards website is at www.mhmawards.com