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This study analyzed the amount of coverage for high school athletics in 43 newspapers with small circulation by devoting 40% of their interscholastic athletics coverage to girls in athletics, printed significantly more articles about girls' athletics than did the newspapers with medium (33%) or large (32%) circulation. Therefore, the smaller the newspaper circulation, the more equitable the coverage of athletics for girls and boys. This finding was consistent with some prior work but not all.
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BACKGROUND: The public gets most of its information about genetic research from the media. It has been suggested that media representations may involve exaggeration, called "genohype." To examine the accuracy and nature of media coverage of genetic research, we reviewed the reporting of single-gene discoveries and associated technologies in major daily newspapers in Canada, the United States, Great Britain and Australia. METHODS: We used neutral search terms to identify articles about gene discoveries and associated technologies hosted on the Dow Jones Interactive and Canadian NewsDisk databases from January 1995 to June 2001. We compared the contents, claims and conclusions of the scientific journal article with those of the associated newspaper article. Coders subjectively assigned the newspaper articles to 1 of 3 categories: moderately to highly exaggerated claims, slightly exaggerated claims or no exaggerated claims. We used classification tree software to identify the variables that contributed to the assignment of each newspaper article to 1 of the 3 categories: attention structure (positioning in the newspaper and length of the article), authorship, research topic, source of information other than the scientific paper, type and likelihood of risks and benefits, discussion of controversy, valuation tone (positive or negative), framing (e.g., description of research, celebration of progress, report of economic prospects or ethical perspective), technical accuracy (either omissions or errors that changed the description of the methods or interpretation of the results) and use of metaphors. RESULTS: We examined 627 newspaper articles reporting on 111 papers published in 24 scientific and medical journals. Only 11% of the newspaper articles were categorized as having moderately to highly exaggerated claims; the majority were categorized as having no claims (63%) or slightly exaggerated claims (26%). The classification analysis ranked the reporting of risks as the most important variable in determining the categorization of newspaper articles. Only 15% of the newspaper articles and 5% of the scientific journal articles discussed costs or risks, whereas 97% of the newspaper articles and 98% of the scientific journal articles discussed the likelihood of benefits of the research. INTERPRETATION: Our data suggest that the majority of newspaper articles accurately convey the results of and reflect the claims made in scientific journal articles. Our study also highlights an overemphasis on benefits and under-representation of risks in both scientific and newspaper articles. The cause and nature of this trend is uncertain.
Because of continuing concerns about the safety and the suitability of recycled newspaper as an animal bedding material, municipal curbside-collected newspaper was processed into chopped and pelleted forms for comparison studies with wheat straw and kiln-dried pinewood shavings. Measurements included nutrient, heavy metal, dioxin and furan content, particle size distribution, density, combustion potential, and water-holding capacity. Recycled newspaper, straw, and wood shavings tested below or equivalent to National Research Council dietary tolerance levels and US Environmental Protection Agency toxic equivalent levels. Small particle size distribution was shavings > straw > all forms of newspaper. The density of pelleted newspaper was 50-fold greater than that of chopped newspaper and straw and 15-fold greater than shavings. In simulated flash burns, chopped newspaper, straw, and shavings ignited, and flames spread rapidly in newspaper and shavings and lasted the longest in shavings. Pelleted newspaper did not ignite. Chopped and pelleted forms of newspaper and wood shavings had higher water holding capacities (>400%) than did straw (200%). Animal industries can, in confidence, utilize recycled newspaper as an animal bedding material, providing that sources of low toxicity are identified, and suitable processed forms are produced.
Local newspapers are an important source of health news, especially in small communities. We describe the amount and type of cancer information in Ontario daily newspapers dichotomized by circulation size (> 400,000 or < 40,000) and community size (> 250,000 or < 25,000 people) for 1991. All cancer articles (n = 1027) in five newspapers with large circulations, serving large communities, and five newspapers with small circulations, serving small communities, were read and evaluated for focus and newsplay. Although large newspapers had an absolute greater number of cancer articles, there were no significant differences by newspaper size in the number of cancer articles per 1,000 pages. Large newspapers included more cancer articles with a scientific vs. human interest focus than did small newspapers (p < 0.001). Large newspapers tended to use wire services whereas small newspapers tended to use staff reporters. Differences in the type and amount of cancer information varies by newspaper and community size, potentially contributing to differences in community cancer information resources.
We present an analysis of newspaper accounts and parents' accounts of childhood cancer. Newspaper accounts construct cancer as a threat to the entitlements and category-bound activities of childhood. Newspaper discourses around children with cancer are predominantly eulogising, constructing children as courageous, stoical and inspirational. Parents are characterised as confederates in the 'battle' against cancer; as fund-raisers; and as guardians of their children's identities. Little attention is given to parents' own needs. Parents' in-depth interview accounts suggest that newspapers are selective and privilege certain types of representations. Parents' accounts, like those in newspapers, construct childhood cancer as an assault on the rights of childhood. Parents also characterise themselves as having a range of obligations founded on dominant discourses about parenting. However, parents' descriptions bear little resemblance to newspaper accounts. Rather than the cheerful, uncomplaining and 'brave' newspaper representations of children, parents report that children can be distressed, anguished and difficult to manage, especially when being encouraged to submit to painful and frightening medical interventions. Parents themselves experience a range of quality of life impairments, including severe role strain, but find it difficult to voice these because they have to negotiate prevailing discourses about the duties of parenthood. Parents' accounts do not allow unproblematic access to some external reality; these accounts are just as constructed as newspaper accounts. Both newspapers and parents may draw on common discourses about parenting, childhood and illness, but newspapers are more likely to represent children in idealised ways and to marginalise parents as resources solely for their child's benefit.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the characteristics of medical research that is press released by general medical journals and reported in newspapers. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. DATA SOURCES: All original research articles published in Lancet and BMJ during 1999 and 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Inclusion of articles in Lancet or BMJ press releases, and reporting of articles in Times or Sun newspapers. RESULTS: Of 1193 original research articles, 517 (43%) were highlighted in a press release and 81 (7%) were reported in one or both newspapers. All articles covered in newspapers had been press released. The probability of inclusion in press releases was similar for observational studies and randomised controlled trials, but trials were less likely to be covered in the newspapers (odds ratio 0.15 (95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.37)). Good news and bad news were equally likely to be press released, but bad news was more likely to be reported in newspapers (1.74 (1.07 to 2.83)). Studies of women's health, reproduction, and cancer were more likely to be press released and covered in newspapers. Studies from industrialised countries other than Britain were less likely to be reported in newspapers (0.51 (0.31 to 0.82)), and no studies from developing countries were covered. CONCLUSIONS: Characteristics of articles were more strongly associated with selection for reporting in newspapers than with selection for inclusion in press releases, although each stage influenced the reporting process. Newspapers underreported randomised trials, emphasised bad news from observational studies, and ignored research from developing countries.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the usefulness of newspapers as a surveillance tool for submersion injury, the proportion of submersion events and important details reported in Washington State newspapers was determined. It was also determined whether a letter sent to newspaper editors to encourage reporting changed the proportion and content of reported submersion events. METHODS: Newspaper articles regarding submersion were collected from 225 Washington newspapers from June 1993 through September 1998. Newspaper articles were linked to computerized state death and hospital records. Reporting during periods before and after a letter was sent encouraging more newspaper articles on submersion injury and preventative factors was compared. RESULTS: A total of 1,874 submersion victims were identified in the three data sources. Of the 983 victims who had a death certificate, 52% were reported in at least one news article. Of the 471 persons in hospital discharge data, 25% were reported in a newspaper. Reporting of pediatric victims who died increased from 63% to 79% (p=0.008); reporting of hospitalized persons increased from 23% to 27% (p=0.3). There were increases in reporting of swimming ability (7% to 15%, p<0.001), supervision (82% to 91%, p<0.001), and alcohol use (7% to 24%, p<0.001). Reporting of life vest use decreased (35% to 23%, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Newspapers failed to report about one half of fatal submersions and three quarters of submersions that resulted in a hospitalization. An effort to improve reporting was associated with an increase in the proportion of pediatric drownings that were reported, but a consistent improvement in content was found. The usefulness of newspaper articles as a surveillance tool may be limited.
Bacterial counts associated with recycled newspaper, wood shavings, and pelleted corn cobs used as bedding for lactating dairy cows were compared. Chopped newspaper and pelleted corn cobs had similar gram-negative bacterial, coliform, and streptococcal bedding counts. Staphylococcal counts in pelleted corn cobs were greater than in chopped newspaper. Conversely, gram-negative bacterial, coliform, and staphylococcal counts in chopped newspaper were greater than in wood shavings. Coliform and streptococcal counts did not differ between chopped newspaper and wood shavings bedding materials. Teat swab counts from cows bedded on pelleted corn cobs were greater than those from cows bedded on chopped newspaper for gram-negative bacterial, coliform, Klebsiella species, and staphylococci. Streptococcal teat swab counts did not differ between cows bedded on chopped newspaper and pelleted corn cobs. Cows bedded on chopped newspaper and wood shavings had similar gram-negative bacterial, coliform, and Klebsiella species teat swab counts. Streptococcal and staphylococcal teat swab counts were greater from cows bedded on chopped newspaper than those from cows bedded on wood shavings. Teat swab and bedding counts were correlated. In general, bacterial counts in bedding suggest no advantage in using chopped newspaper over pelleted corn cobs or wood shavings in reducing exposure of teats to environmental mastitis pathogens.
A motivational model of newspaper consumption was elaborated. In this model, reading motives are supposed to generate certain beliefs in newspapers. The belief in the satisfying properties of a newspaper is based on an evaluation of how well the attributes of a newspaper are expected to match the motives of individuals. Once a match between the motives and the belief is established, then motivation is triggered, and newspaper consumption should occur. We tested the model with the hypotheses that reading motives explain belief in newspapers to a greater extent than the consumption of them and that beliefs explain consumption to a greater extent than reading motives. Reading motives, beliefs and consumption of general broadsheet, business and tabloid newspapers were measured in 1343 young people between the ages of 15 and 25. The results supported the hypotheses. The results indicate that the profiling and development of the newspapers toward more loyal and new readers should be based on the readers' beliefs in newspapers and the motives explaining them.
CONTEXT: Scientific journals issue press releases to disseminate scientific news about articles they publish. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether press releases about journal articles were associated with publication of subsequent newspaper stories. DESIGN: Retrospective content analysis of newspaper stories, journal press releases, and journal tables of contents. From December 1, 1996, to February 28, 1997, press releases and tables of contents were collected from BMJ, Nature, Science, and The Lancet, along with newspaper stories on scientific research published in The New York Times (United States), Le Figaro and Le Monde (France), El País and La Vanguardia (Spain), La Repubblica (Italy), and the International Herald Tribune. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Number of newspaper stories that contained reference to articles appearing in the 4 scientific journals, number of newspaper stories that referred to journal articles described in press releases, and the order in which journal articles were mentioned in press releases. RESULTS: Of the 1060 newspaper stories analyzed, 142 referred to journal articles; of these, 119 (84%) referred to articles mentioned in press releases and 23 (16%) referred to journal articles not mentioned in press releases (comparison of proportions, P=.03). Articles described first or second were referenced in more newspapers than articles described later in the press release (P=.01 by chi2 analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Journal articles described in press releases, in particular those described first or second in the press release, are associated with the subsequent publication of newspaper stories on the same topic.
The present study assessed newspaper reports of injuries affecting individuals with Spanish surnames and compared newspaper reports to hospital injury discharge data in two counties in Colorado. Newspaper reports came from 12 daily and weekly newspapers. Hospital discharge data were obtained from the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment. Motor vehicle crashes, assault and legal intervention, and suicide and suicidal acts were counted. A higher proportion of people with Spanish surnames were reported in newspapers than expected based on the hospital discharge data. Motor vehicle injuries were far more frequent based on hospital discharge data than in newspaper reports. Assault and legal intervention injuries were similarly represented by Hispanic ethnicity and absolute numbers in both reporting sources. Suicide and suicidal acts were not often reported in newspapers relative to hospital discharge data; however, the proportion of Hispanics was not significantly different. These findings suggest that the use of newspapers for surveillance of injuries may be helpful, but should not be used in the absence of other data sources.
PURPOSE: We analyzed the frequency and content of journal reports on medical accidents over the past 15 years, and compared these findings with related articles in daily newspapers as a means of assessing medical professionals' awareness of current public opinion reflected in daily newspaper coverage. METHODS: A search of medical accident reports was conducted using CD-ROM versions of the medical literature database Japana Centra Revuo Medicina (1987-2001), with the key words "medical accident" and "medical error." The numbers of medical accident articles in newspapers and medical lawsuits were taken as indicators of public opinion. Relationships were investigated using correlation and time series analyses. RESULTS: 1) The total number of reports on medical accidents (including medical errors; hereinafter, medical accident reports) in the database was 2,858, equaling 0.78 medical accident reports for each 1,000 reports in the CD-ROM database. 2) The number of medical accident reports was 174 in 1987, gradually increasing to 333 in 2000 and 618 in 2001. 3) The proportion of the reports from the nursing field increased from 8.9% (1989) to 31.7% (1999). In contrast, the proportion concerning the medical field decreased from 68.8% to 50.2%. 4) The number of medical accident articles in two newspapers was investigated. The yearly trends were similar in both of these newspapers, showing an increase in 1999 and a peak in 2000. 5) A review of Supreme Court records revealed that the number of medical lawsuits each year increased gradually from 352 in 1990 to 805 in 2001. 6) There were significant correlations between the number of medical accident reports and the numbers of newspaper articles or medical lawsuits. A time series analysis of these trends showed that the trend in number of medical accident reports was closely linked with those for numbers of newspaper articles and medical lawsuits, with a time lag. CONCLUSION: Research trends in papers on medical accidents from a database of scientific papers were found to correspond with trend curves for medical lawsuits and articles on medical accidents in daily newspapers. It was thus demonstrated that awareness of medical accidents among medical professionals reflects social emphasis.
We conducted a content analysis of alcohol control policy issues in Black-oriented and mainstream newspapers in the United States from 1993 to 1995, using computerized content analysis methods. The specific purpose of our study was to compare differences in coverage of alcohol control policy issues in Black-oriented and mainstream newspapers. Fifteen Black-oriented and 12 mainstream newspapers were selected and analyzed. The number of policy paragraphs per year and the number of paragraphs in different policy thematic categories per year were examined. Regional differences in coverage of alcohol policy themes were examined for selected policies in mainstream newspapers. We found more similarities than differences in coverage of alcohol policy issues in Black-oriented and mainstream newspapers. Limiting the marketing/advertising and promotion of alcohol products was the most widely covered alcohol control policy issue over the three-year period in both Black-oriented media and mainstream newspapers. There were some important differences in coverage of alcohol policy issues. While economic alcohol policy issues were covered extensively in mainstream newspapers, these issues received far less attention in Black-oriented newspapers. Findings suggest that certain alcohol control policies may have less salience in African-American communities than in other communities.
The production of newspaper corresponds to 37 kg per person per annum in Ireland. Newspaper becomes a waste product in a short period of time; only 13% of domestic waste paper is recycled (data on newspaper is not available). Four scenarios, which generate energy from newspaper, are analysed. These scenarios may be summarised as follows: lignocellulosic biomass conversion to ethanol (transport fuel); co-digestion with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste and production of CH4-enriched biogas (transport fuel); co-firing with the residue of municipal solid waste in an incinerator; and gasification of newspaper as a sole fuel. Two of the scenarios involve transport fuel production; two involve the production of electricity and heat. Two of the scenarios involve newspaper as the sole ingredient; two involve co- utilisation of newspaper with another waste stream. Assuming no economic market for heat, then only the transport scenarios have the potential to be economic; indeed the biogas scenario is shown to be extremely competitive generating a potential profit of euro 227/t newspaper. A greenhouse-gas analysis indicates that the biogas scenario generated the best net greenhouse-gas savings. However when a market for heat is available, gasification was shown to be most advantageous.
OBJECTIVE: To examine whether the media are providing information to the public about important medical advances in a timely manner and whether the degree of importance is associated with other aspects of newspaper reporting (presence, extent, and prominence). DESIGN: The authors explored the amount, extent, prominence, and timeliness of newspaper coverage received by New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA articles published in 1988, by searching ten leading U.S. newspapers. The journal articles were independently rated based on the public's need to know the medical information contained in the article. The intraclass reliability coefficient for this need-to-know importance score was 0.77. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Overall, 35% of the journal articles received newspaper coverage (276/786). The articles were frequently covered by more than one newspaper [extensive coverage (161/276, 58%)] and often appeared on the front page [prominent coverage (42/276, 15%)]. Articles considered most important to the public (92/786, 12%) received more extensive and prominent coverage than did less important articles (p < 0.01). More than three fourths of the newspaper stories appeared within two days of the journal article's issue date. Stories about the most important articles appeared sooner than did those about the less important articles (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Articles reported in two prominent medical journals are often viewed as being important to the public, and these articles are receiving newspaper coverage that is extensive, prominent, and timely. This is particularly true for those articles considered most important to the public.
OBJECTIVE: The use of the news media to disseminate control research could play a pivotal role in reducing the cancer burden. An important first step is to understand how newspapers cover cancer and if differences exist between mainstream and ethnic newspapers. METHODS: Cancer news in the major U.S. (MAJN) (N=5327) and ethnic (ENW) newspapers (N=565) appearing in 2003 were content analyzed. Comparisons of mainstream and ethnic newspapers utilized Pearson x(2) tests of two-sided statistical significance and independent samples t tests for interval-level variables. RESULTS: Breast cancer dominated coverage: 27% of MAJN and 35% of ENW stories mentioned breast cancer. Coverage focused primarily on cancer treatment (MAJN: 60%; ENW: 52%) rather than on primary or secondary prevention. Compared to mainstream newspapers, the ethnic newspapers required lower literacy levels for understanding news stories, were substantially more likely to cover primary and secondary cancer prevention, and paid more attention to cancer awareness and education. CONCLUSIONS: The ethnic media are a promising vehicle for dissemination of cancer control messages. However, the successful utilization of any U.S. newspaper as a dissemination mechanism requires a greater understanding of the root causes for imbalances in cancer coverage and work with journalists to reframe cancer news coverage.