‘Disease, disaster and despair’? health stories from low- and middle-income countries in the Australian news media

The mass media in high-income nations remain a crucial source of news and information. In relation to health, coverage is dominated by a medical perspective and an individualised view of illness that neglects public health. With regard to foreign news, previous research has shown that reporting tends to be narrow in scope, focused on nations that are significant to the country for which coverage is being produced and usually has an aspect of domestic relevance. These patterns are especially pronounced in relation to news from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the coverage of which has long been criticised as limited, negative and stereotyped. However, little is known about the coverage of health stories from these nations. This thesis uses a uniquely large database of Australian television coverage about health to examine how health stories from LMICs are covered in the Australian news media. It provides an overview of mass-media reporting on the subject, examining what locations and health conditions feature in coverage of LMIC health and the extent to which a ‘local Australian angle’ is often key to their newsworthiness. Several case studies from this dataset are also analysed. One, an exemplary story about the transport to Australia and surgical separation of infant conjoined twin girls from Bangladesh – a nation that is otherwise little-covered in the Australian media – is considered from the three key angles for media studies: production (journalism), representation (content) and reception (audience). The medical tourism narrative in the Australian news media is also considered for the way in which it reverses the usual expectations of LMICs as passive and dependent on high-income nations. Finally, the relationship among international development agencies and the news media in Australian in relation to LMIC health is examined. The thesis concludes with general reflections and suggestions for further research

'...a story that's got all the right elements': Australian media audiences talk about the coverage of a health-related story from the developing world

Australian news coverage of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) generally, and of their health contexts specifically, has long been criticised as problematic. This paper considers an exemplary LMIC health story and presents findings of an audience reception study that examined how different groups of Australian participants responded to it, the possible implications for future LMIC health coverage and for domestic perceptions of global public health. In particular, the paper examines how audiences talked about three of the story’s principal themes and suggests that greater audience engagement with LMIC health news may be possible as the mass-media landscape continues to evolve.National Health and Medical Research Council Capacity Building Grant 571376 (2009-2013)

Media Miracles: The Separation of Conjoined Twins, and Reflections on Minimal Television News Coverage of Health from Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Australian television news and current affairs remain an important source of information for domestic audiences about both health and low- and middle-income countries. In November 2009, the successful surgical separation in Australia of conjoined infant twins from Bangladesh generated large-scale domestic media interest. In the 66 months to October 2010, only 75 health-related stories about Bangladesh were broadcast on Sydney television, 70 of them (93%) about these twins. Drawing on the television database of the Australian Health News Research Collaboration, this paper presents a thematic analysis of the Australian television news and current affairs coverage of the twins and why their case attained such a profile relative to other coverage of health from this nation. In addition to the predictable newsworthiness of a rare and bizarre medical condition and the made-for-television tension inherent in the saga of their arrival, preparation and eventual lengthy operation, prominent themes centred around the story’s opportunities to praise Australian individuals, medical skill and national character. The focus in this story on identified individuals with an uncommon condition requiring tertiary medical intervention only available in a high-income nation contrasts with a lack of coverage of, or critical consideration for, the well-being of anonymous individuals or less culturally-favoured groups, more long-term and mundane health considerations or any broader social or financial context to health issues in low- and middle-income countries. Reportage of foreign health issues appears contingent on the availability of populist ‘rule of rescue’ news frames, arresting footage and dramatic narratives that resonate with audiences’ expectations of such nations. The analysis offered in this paper illuminates the potential implications of such reporting for the wider news space available to health stories from low- and middle-income countries.This work was supported by a Capacity Building Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au) to the Australian Health News Research Collaboration (2009–2013) [571376]

Australian journalists’ reflections on local coverage of a health-related story from the developing world

Given the limited Australian media coverage of health news from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), the 2009 story of conjoined Bangladeshi twins Trishna and Krishna was conspicuous for its scale. This paper draws on interviews with journalists who reported the story and considers what those seeking to increase the news exposure given to LMIC health issues might learn from this coverage. It considers, in particular, the extent to which the twins’ story fitted with prevailing journalistic norms and beliefs about both health and news, and suited professional expectations and routines, especially in relation to choice of sources and access to material. Finally, the paper surveys opportunities for broader and deeper coverage of such news in the future

‘Disease, Disaster and Despair’? The Presentation of Health in Low- and Middle-Income Countries on Australian Television

In high-income nations mainstream television news remains an important source of information about both general health issues and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, research on news coverage of health in LMICs is scarce. The present paper examines the general features of Australian television coverage of LMIC health issues, testing the hypotheses that this coverage conforms to the general patterns of foreign news reporting in high-income countries and, in particular, that LMIC health coverage will largely reflect Australian interests. We analysed relevant items from May 2005 – December 2009 from the largest health-related television dataset of its kind, classifying each story on the basis of the region(s) it covered, principal content relating to health in LMICs and the presence of an Australian reference point. LMICs that are culturally proximate and politically significant to Australia had higher levels of reportage than more distant and unengaged nations. Items concerning communicable diseases, injury and aspects of child health generally consonant with ‘disease, disaster and despair’ news frames predominated, with relatively little emphasis given to chronic diseases which are increasingly prevalent in many LMICs. Forty-two percent of LMIC stories had explicit Australian content, such as imported medical expertise or health risk to Australians in LMICs. Media consumers’ perceptions of disease burdens in LMICs and of these nations’ capacity to identify and manage their own health priorities may be distorted by the major news emphasis on exotic disease, disaster and despair stories. Such perceptions may inhibit the development of appropriate policy emphases in high-income countries. In this context, non-government organisations concerned with international development may find it more difficult to strike a balance between crises and enduring issues in their health programming and fundraising efforts.This work was supported by a Capacity Building Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au) to the Australian Health News Research Collaboration (2009–2013) [571376]

Communicating uncertainty - how Australian television reported H1N1 risk in 2009: a content analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Health officials face particular challenges in communicating with the public about emerging infectious diseases of unknown severity such as the 2009 H1N1(swine 'flu) pandemic (pH1N1). Statements intended to create awareness and convey the seriousness of infectious disease threats can draw accusations of scare-mongering, while officials can be accused of complacency if such statements are not made. In these communication contexts, news journalists, often reliant on official sources to understand issues are pivotal in selecting and emphasising aspects of official discourse deemed sufficiently newsworthy to present to the public. This paper presents a case-study of news communication regarding the emergence of pH1N1.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a content analysis of all television news items about pH1N1. We examined news and current affairs items broadcast on 5 free-to-air Sydney television channels between April 25 2009 (the first report) and October 9 (prior to the vaccine release) for statements about <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B1">1</abbr></abbrgrp> the seriousness of the disease <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B2">2</abbr></abbrgrp> how the public could minimise contagion <abbrgrp><abbr bid="B3">3</abbr></abbrgrp> government responses to emerging information.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>pH1N1 was the leading health story for eight of 24 weeks and was in the top 5 for 20 weeks. 353 news items were identified, yielding 3086 statements for analysis, with 63.4% related to the seriousness of the situation, 12.9% providing advice for viewers and 23.6% involving assurances from government. Coverage focused on infection/mortality rates, the spread of the virus, the need for public calm, the vulnerability of particular groups, direct and indirect advice for viewers, and government reassurances about effective management.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Overall, the reporting of 2009 pH1N1 in Sydney, Australia was generally non-alarmist, while conveying that pH1N1 was potentially serious. Daily infection rate tallies and commentary on changes in the pandemic alert level were seldom contextualised to assist viewers in understanding personal relevance. Suggestions are made about how future reporting of emerging infectious diseases could be enhanced.</p

Regions and nations covered in 923 Australian television health news, current affairs and magazine reports about LMICs, May 2005 – December 2009.

<p><b>NB: counts sum to more than 923, as some clips covered more than one region.</b></p

Mixed messages and a missed opportunity : Australian news media coverage of Clare Oliver's campaign against Solaria

Objective: To review television and print media coverage of the campaign to regulate solaria that was initiated by Clare Oliver before her death from melanoma in late 2007, and to investigate how the media constructed the aetiology of her disease. Design and setting: Frame analysis of all direct and attributed statements about the causes of, and responsibility for, Oliver's melanoma, and about the legacy of her campaign, in reportage on five free-to-air Sydney television stations and in Australian capital city newspapers, 21 August 2007 to 20 February 2008. Results: 26 television and 83 print media reports were identified, containing 279 statements on Oliver: 146 (52%) dealt with the responsibility of solaria or their need for regulation, 23 (8%) were on issues of self-responsibility, and 110 (40%) were on her legacy. Oliver stated she had visited solaria 10 times, but had spent years acquiring a tan outdoors. However, less than one in 10 statements about the aetiology of her melanoma referred to her outdoor tanning history, with most explaining the cause as solarium ultraviolet radiation. Oliver's campaign was credited with precipitating rapid regulation of solaria in Australia. However, the new regulations will not prevent a person of her age or skin type visiting solaria and fall well short of the ban she hoped for. Conclusion: Unlike sun exposure, solaria are an entirely tractable factor contributing to melanoma. Failure to ban solaria has been a disappointment in a high-profile window of opportunity to change public health law.4 page(s

Diseases and conditions covered in 923 Australian television health news, current affairs and magazine reports about LMICs, May 2005 – December 2009.

<p><b>NB: counts sum to more than 923, as some items cover more than one disease and/or condition.</b></p