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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 28, 2000
Third International Entertainment-Educate Conference for Social
Change Adopts Declaration for the Advancement of EE
Arnhem and Amsterdam, The Netherlands (September 23, 2000)--The Third International EE conference concluded in the early hours of September 22, 2000 with the adoption of a Declaration of commitment to the advancement of the field of EE. The conference drew entertainment professionals, academic representatives and field practitioners of EE from 27 countries for five days of intensive meetings, presentations, debates, presentations, films, music, and discussion.
In her opening remarks for the conference, Dr. Phyllis Tilson Piotrow, Director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Communication Programs called Entertainment-Education (EE) the Viagra of health communication.
Speaking before an academic and entertainment audience of world wide leaders in EE, Dr. Piotrow recalled that EE was too often thought of as a rather "tired old field" where people in white coats lectured about health and hygiene. While Dr. Piotrow's Viagra remarks drew delighted chuckles from the audience, her message was serious.
"EE theories have become more sophisticated, EE projects have become more pervasive, and EE evaluations are becoming more comprehensive and more controversial - all a sign of growing international interest." As examples she cited two very popular EE efforts at Johns Hopkins, the American television projects Following ER and the new reality program Hopkins 24/7.
"EE and Viagra may have more in common that you might think," She said. "Both act by expanding human capacity to absorb and retain new material; both can be effective for women, as well as men; and both can bring new blood, new excitement, and new enjoyment to the whole field of health communication."
Dr. Kathy Krendl, dean of the college of Communication of Ohio University, said that the job of administrators of EE programs was to provide the space and resources for the EE professionals to do their work.
Dr. Martine Bourman, managing director of the Netherlands Entertainment-Education Foundation (NEEF) and CEO of the conference introduced each of the guests and gave a brief history of EE-the process by which positive health messages are communicated to the general public through the medium of popular culture including, music, drama, TV, film and the like. This is the first EE conference held outside of the U.S. (the first two were in California and Ohio).
Complete reports on each day of the proceedings as well as the complete text of the Declaration can be found on the Entertainment Education web site at www.entertainment-education.nl
For more information contact: Timothy Cline at Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, USA. Tel: 410 659-6149; Fax: 410 659-6266; e-mail: press@jhuccp.org. Web Site: www.jhuccp.org.
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