Journalists are often ill equipped to meet the information needs of special populations during health-related emergencies. They also may not see it as their job or role to communicate directly with these audiences. Special populations include elderly people, disabled people, homeless people, housebound populations, racial and cultural minorities, linguistic minorities, illiterate populations, transient populations (for example, tourists, business travellers and migrant workers) and institutionalized populations. Because mass media outlets tailor their content to reach particular demographic groups, it is the role of the public health body to get its message to as many different audiences through as many different channels as possible. This includes special audiences who cannot.
