Abstract
Objective: To review the principal subtexts contained in all press coverage and references to the tobacco industry in a major Sydney newspaper over five years.
Method and sample: After excluding value-neutral financial page reports, thematic analysis of all value-laden references to the tobacco industry in the Sydney Morning Herald, January 1993 to December 1997.
Results: Some 155 articles containing 221 separate references to the tobacco industry were identified. Eight sub-texts (callous merchants of death; conspiracy/ cover-up; blood money; toxic pied pipers; corporate leviathans; beleaguered/ legitimate industry; index case of unethical or corrupt practice; and bumbling fools) accounted for all 221 references. Eighty-nine per cent of references to the industry framed it negatively. Journalists or regular newspaper columnists authored 56% of the references. Only 5% of comments were attributed to tobacco company sources.
Conclusions: In press reports, the tobacco industry is routinely framed as a corporate pariah by journalists, the public, government spokespeople and tobacco control advocates.
Implications: Routine negative publicity about the tobacco industry is likely to significantly reduce its public credibility and political influence.
Method and sample: After excluding value-neutral financial page reports, thematic analysis of all value-laden references to the tobacco industry in the Sydney Morning Herald, January 1993 to December 1997.
Results: Some 155 articles containing 221 separate references to the tobacco industry were identified. Eight sub-texts (callous merchants of death; conspiracy/ cover-up; blood money; toxic pied pipers; corporate leviathans; beleaguered/ legitimate industry; index case of unethical or corrupt practice; and bumbling fools) accounted for all 221 references. Eighty-nine per cent of references to the industry framed it negatively. Journalists or regular newspaper columnists authored 56% of the references. Only 5% of comments were attributed to tobacco company sources.
Conclusions: In press reports, the tobacco industry is routinely framed as a corporate pariah by journalists, the public, government spokespeople and tobacco control advocates.
Implications: Routine negative publicity about the tobacco industry is likely to significantly reduce its public credibility and political influence.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 233-239 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 1999 |
| Externally published | Yes |