As for the Internet … It is a society; online, yes – often anonymous, irreverent and profane – but a society nevertheless. Each of us contributes to the conversation, and each chooses how they participate. We bring to it who we are.

Ombudsman: Sorry, but it is relevant. H1N1 just happens to be the latest symptom of the larger disorder, which is irresponsible/unprofessional reporting. You can ignore it by focusing on the issue du jour, but it will still be there tomorrow.

Letterman, Colbert, et al: I specifically mentioned John Stewart because he’s not Letterman; nor is he Takeshi. Mina Monta—seems like a nice guy, but Monta is not Stewart.

If you’ve never seen Stewart’s dismantling of the talking heads from Crossfire, it’s worth a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFQFB5YpDZE

This is what I’m talking about. Not Limbaugh or Letterman. As for there being no Limbaugh in Japan, surely you jest. We can begin with Sakurai Yoshiko.

Media coverage: I’ve not asked for the flu to be ignored. That would be absurd.

Americans and psychiatry: A debate is not finger-pointing. No need to drag the unquestioning/undereducated American public into our (you and me) debate about the need for more accountability in the Japanese media.

They explained how masks are only a preventive measure and do not form a complete seal and filter. But its kind to others if a person with a cold uses a mask. Sneezes carry germs. With a mask, a sneeze will be stopped from spraying in the air.

Here is a link illustrating a simple way to make your own mask.

http://gigazine.net/index.php?/news/comments/20090521_papermask/

For the simpler fanfold masks, straight out of the box they were 100% leakage!

They then spent an equally long time on stopping sneeze particles, but without mentioning that if you’re sneezing you shouldn’t be out and about in the first place!

one:
Nishikawa Megumi is(or was) the head of foreign news department of Mainichi and in no way responsible for the flu coverage in Mainichi.The flu issues are usually being covered by “Society社会部”and Science”科学部”department guys that’s the reason why Nishikawa can write an armchair-critic like piece.And ofcourse being the foreign news guy,he is more concerned about how Japan being viewed from aboroad instead of necessity of the society.

two:
We didn’t know much about SARS back then,but one of the lessons learned was everyone must be informed about the potential danger of the virus and it’s spread beyond the boundary must be monitored around the clock,instead of hiding them like Chinese did.We also know how infectious the influenza can be compared to the avian flu,so I don’t think Nishikawa’s argument won’t have much support in the editing room.

http://tinyurl.com/poy7jo

No.We don’t.(Not the institutional one,I mean)And that’s a problem.
But still this has little to do with the issue we are talking about.Because the ombudsmen system works AFTER we have problem in the coverage,not before or during the process.I don’t think it will effect in the editorial process of ongoing issue.

“Does Japan have anything similar to FactCheck.org?”

Like 2ch?Kidding.FactCheck probably won’t work in this case simply we don’t know much about THIS disease and neither does Jon Colbert.

I can understand why Americans bringing up Jon Colbert and co.I run into an argument(Yes.on internet.Silly me)that America is grand since they have David Letterman and Japan has no equivalent in media environment.But going to the shrinks more often than the others doesn’t mean you are mentally healthy than the others,No?
And we don’t have Rush Limbaugh type being loose on the air here.Not that I think we don’t need the court jester type(well,maybe we have people like Beat Takeshi,or Mino Monta or Now dead Chikushi Tetsuya and they can be counted as such,but this needs more argument.again on internet…),but half of America depends too much on cynical critics and the other half simply don’t have literacy or just gave up following the event blindly believe in Americana.Or that’s my take on the situation.

My point is since there is no victim in this media coverage on this issue,but only the dignity of the virus that they were not as lethal as media had been reporting,what the big fuss about? And any of you ever thought about what would have been the reverse?
What would happen if media don’t do any report and we had outbreaks?

I bet the cynics and conspiracy theorists would still blame media for undermine the threat at the expense of people’s health for the benefit of economic recovery/Aso leadership/or plain being damn in the age of Web2.0.