[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 48 (Thursday, March 11, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11638-11639]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-5542]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

National Institutes of Health


Submission for OMB Review; Comments Request Improving Media 
Coverage of Cancer: A Survey of Science and Health Reporters

SUMMARY: In compliance with the requirement of Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of 
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, for opportunity for public comment 
on proposed data collection projects, the National Cancer Institute 
(NCI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will publish periodic 
summaries of proposed projects to be submitted to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval.
    Proposed Collection: Title: Improving Media Coverage of Cancer: A 
Survey of Science and Health Reporters. Type of Information Collection 
Request: New. Need and Use of Information Collection: The NCI is 
dedicated to improving the extent and quality of cancer coverage in all 
forms of new media. Towards this goal, the NCI would like to explore 
how health stories are currently being covered in print, television, 
and radio news coverage and would also like to understand the barriers 
that exist to better health and cancer coverage. Information from this 
research can be used to support the myriad of efforts and initiatives 
of the NCI as described in the Bypass Budget to ``understand and apply 
the most effective communications approaches to maximize access to and 
use of cancer information by all who need it.''
    The primary objective of the NCI Media survey of reporters and 
editors covering health and medical science news stories in the U.S. is 
to gain knowledge of their background, environment, perspectives, and 
training needs in an effort to develop initiatives that will improve 
news media reportage of health in general, and cancer in particular. 
Six hundred reporters and editorial personnel of daily and weekly 
newspapers, magazines, wire service agencies, and television and radio 
stations with a specific focus on health and medical science reporting 
will be surveyed to determine their socio-demographic characteristics, 
individual characteristics, occupational practices, and other 
organizational and environmental factors that influence how they report 
health and medical science stories. This information will allow NCI to 
assess reporters' training needs, the barriers they face, and the 
resources NCI can develop to assist them in reporting cancer-related 
stories. Frequency of Response: Once. Affected Public: Individuals and 
businesses. Type of Respondents: Reporters and editors. The annual 
reporting burden is as follows: Estimated Number of Respondents: 600; 
Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1; Average Burden Hours 
Per Response: .334; and Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours Requested: 
200. The total estimated cost to respondents is $3,784. There are no 
Capital Costs to report. There are no Operating or Maintenance Costs to 
report.

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                                                                     Number of    Average burden
                   Respondents                       Number of     responses per   per response    Total burden
                                                    respondents     respondent      (in hours)      (in hours)
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Reporters.......................................             600               1            .334             200
                                                 -----------------
    Total.......................................  ..............  ..............  ..............             200
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    Request for Comments: Written comments and/or suggestions from the 
public and affected agencies should address one or more of the 
following points: (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the function of 
the agency, including whether the information will have practical 
utility; (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used; (3) Enhance the 
quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and 
(4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those who 
are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, electronic, 
mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms 
of information technology.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: To request more information on the 
proposed project or to obtain a copy of the data collection plans and 
instruments, contact: Helen I. Meissner, Ph.D., Chief, Applied Cancer 
Screening Research Branch, Behavioral Research Program, Division of 
Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, 
Executive Plaza North, Suite 4102, 6130 Executive Blvd., MSC 7331, 
Bethesda, MD 20892-7331, or call non-toll-free number 301-435-2836 or 
E-mail your request, including your address to: [email protected].

[[Page 11639]]

    Comments Due Date: Comments regarding this information collection 
are best assured of having their full effect if received within 60-days 
of the date of this publication.

    Dated: March 4, 2004.
Rachelle Ragland-Greene,
Project Clearance Liaison, National Cancer Institute, National 
Institutes of Health.
[FR Doc. 04-5542 Filed 3-10-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M