Several interested organizations and agencies completed an exploration of the complexities and challenges affecting the communication of health information through the mass media. The goal of this effort was to create a shared agenda for increasing cooperation between mass media and public health professionals in addressing the issues, problems, and challenges of communicating health information to the public. The process included convening a group of experts to identify the issues; commissioning a series of papers to explore the issues; and bringing together public health and mass media representatives to identify barriers to collaboration and opportunities for working together to improve the quality and quantity of health coverage through the media. The objectives of this project included: (1) increasing understanding of the influences of mass communications on health issues and problems; (2) exploring shared responsibilities among media and public health professionals; (3) designing strategies for influencing policymakers and gatekeepers in the mass media and public health fields; and (4) setting priorities within both sectors for future discussion and exploration. This report summarizes the issues explored and presents a series of strategies for increasing cooperation between mass media and the public health community. Recommendations are presented for marketing communications, news, entertainment, the public health response to media interests and needs, the media response to public health needs, and policies and regulations affecting health communications. Appended materials include lists of program sponsors and contributors to the program as well as a list of eight papers commissioned for the project. (BBM)