blog author: Saneeha Mirza

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Behind the scenes of a 60 Minutes interview: What public health advocates can learn

by: Heather Gehlert and Saneeha Mirza
posted on Wednesday, April 15, 2026

What does it take to prepare for a national media spotlight — and make it count? In this behind-the-scenes look at a 60 Minutes interview, Jolie Foreman of Shelby County Cares shares how she navigated nerves, stayed on message, and used the opportunity to shift conversations around firearm suicide in farming communities. Her experience offers concrete, real-world guidance for advocates looking to engage the media more effectively, even on the most sensitive topics.

Top 10 public health and social justice media bites of 2025

by: Saneeha Mirza
posted on Thursday, December 18, 2025

As staff members monitor the news throughout the year, we hold on to quotes that reaffirm our hope for the future. These media bites — pulled from news articles, op-eds, and social media posts — motivate us to push forward, challenge us to consider perspectives different from our own, or inspire us to imagine the kind of world we’d like to see. In keeping with BMSG’s annual tradition, we have curated a list of our favorite media bites from the past year. Read more for our top picks and reasons why we included them.

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What new research tells us about anti-fatness in media narratives: Q&A with NAAFA’s Tigress Osborn

by: Saneeha Mirza
posted on Monday, February 27, 2023

Over the last few years, changes in social media and content creation have led to a push to rethink which bodies we see as beautiful and healthy. Concepts like fat stigma, weight bias, and fat justice are gaining visibility, but is mainstream media catching up accordingly? Following the release of new research in collaboration with the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), we talked with NAAFA’s Board Chair to learn more about how fat people are portrayed in the news and other forms of media.

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Top 10 public health and social justice media bites of 2022

by: Saneeha Mirza
posted on Thursday, December 15, 2022

2022 has inspired no shortage of compelling media bites, as a year of difficulty led to widespread action. In the wake of COVID, ongoing gun violence, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and other major issues and events, journalists, advocates, and even athletes have used their voices and platforms to help us understand persistent problems and problematic norms in new ways. Here are the top quotes that captured our hearts and minds.