Symposium 6th World Congress on Positive Psychology 2019

Bringing Positive Psychology to the Masses: Positive Media (#59)

Sophie Scott 1 , Angie Hilton 2 , Milad Hadchity 3 , Lisbeth Gorr 4
  1. ABC, Sydney, NSW, Australia
  2. Destination Happiness, Channel 9 , Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  3. HUMANSHIP, Beirut, Lebanon
  4. ABC Radio , Melbourne, VIC, Australia

This session focuses on science communication and will be presented by four expert journalists/TV presenters who are communicating the science of positive psychology to the public through print media, radio and TV. Sophie Scott, medical reporter for Australian Broadcasting Corporation writes a popular blog on positive psychology and will discuss how she weaves positive psychology into the regular TV stories of patients showing resilience and optimism in the face of health challenges. Angie Hilton, host of ‘Destination Happiness’ will discuss how her own career as a TV host together with her struggles with anxiety merged to form the idea for the TV series aired on Channel Nine, Australia, involving segments on Happy Minds, Happy Eating, Random Acts of Happiness and so on. Milad Hadchiti, high-profile TV presenter in Lebanon will share his experience and give insights into the prime-time TV show ‘The Moment', which utilized positive psychology to give techniques on how to achieve resilience and emotional agility and included well-known public figures and movie stars in Lebanon. Libbi Gorr is the creator of ABC Radio Melbourne and Victoria’s Sunday Morning Health and Wellness Show for the “Flawed and Optimistic”   With a background in law, comedy, politics and the Arts, Libbi casts an astute eye across prescriptive modes of happiness with  irreverence and candour to communicate complex ideas tin an easy way. The speakers will share insights on how to translate and disseminate the science of positive psychology to a wide audience. Inspirational footage from their shows will be shown and the presenters will discuss the impact of their work. This session will be facilitated by Professor Lea Waters who, as a world leading scientist, has committed herself to sharing her work through the media to bring positive psychology to the masses.