Global Health Frontline News
Global Health Frontline News (GHFN) is a special reporting unit of Cielo Productions, Inc., a nonprofit video production company based in the United States.
GHFN has a two-part mission:
- producing quality high-definition video news reports covering critical public health stories in developing nations;
- distributing its reports globally to a wide range of television and Internet broadcasters to reach the largest possible number of viewers.
Many important health stories in remote areas of developing nations are neglected by mainstream broadcasting media, a situation worsened by dramatic cuts in newsgathering budgets. Moreover, gaining access to and operating within developing nations challenges even the most sophisticated and well-financed production crews.
As a result, public awareness of critical health problems in Africa, Asia and Latin America is minimal, thus contributing to lack of funding from donor nations that is desperately needed for treatment and control of diseases causing untold suffering and death for millions of people. Of special concern are neglected tropical diseases such as river blindness and trachoma, and the major killers: malaria, HIV and tuberculosis – rapidly evolving diseases that could eventually cause even more serious health, economic and political consequences for developed nations as well.
By independently dispatching professional newsgathering crews to the frontlines of these stories, and by producing well-crafted and engaging news reports viewed by millions of people, GHFN is pioneering a new model of video news reporting in the public interest that provides distinctive news stories to broadcasters.
Supported by funding from donors and foundations and adhering to strict standards of journalistic integrity, GHFN’s reporting teams will seek out the most compelling stories on their frontlines, where the powerful impact of eyewitness video will have the greatest effect on viewers.
Led by veteran television correspondent Gary Strieker, with more than 30 years of experience in covering Africa for CNN and other news organizations, GHFN is dedicated to broadening the range of health reporting in the developing world by producing a rich continuity of reports and features that track stories over time, building greater awareness of the global health challenges that are a major concern for global citizens everywhere.
