Dataset Information

A Descriptive Study of Television News Coverage of Tobacco in the United States: Frequency of Topics, Frames, Exemplars, and Efficacy.

ABSTRACT: There is a positive correlation between recall of tobacco-related television news and perceived risks of smoking and thoughts about quitting. The authors used Cision US, Inc., to create a sampling frame (N = 61,027) of local and national television news coverage of tobacco from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009, and to draw a nationally representative sample (N = 730) for content analysis. The authors conducted a descriptive study to determine the frequency and proportion of stories containing specified tobacco topics, frames, sources, and action messages, and the valence of the coverage. Valence was generally neutral; 68% of stories took a balanced stance, with 26% having a tenor supportive of tobacco control and 6% opposing tobacco control. The most frequently covered topics included smoking bans (n = 195) and cessation (n = 156). The least covered topics included hookah (n = 1) and menthol (n = 0). The majority of coverage lacked quoting any source (n = 345); government officials (n = 144) were the most quoted sources. Coverage lacked action messages or resources; 29 stories (<4%) included a message about cessation or advocacy, and 8 stories (1%) contained a resource such as a quitline. Television news can be leveraged by health communication professionals to increase awareness of underrepresented topics in tobacco control.

SUBMITTER: Blake KD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4654672 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A Descriptive Study of Television News Coverage of Tobacco in the United States: Frequency of Topics, Frames, Exemplars, and Efficacy.

Blake Kelly D KD Kaufman Annette R AR Lorenzo Joshua J Augustson Erik M EM

Journal of health communication 20150715 12

There is a positive correlation between recall of tobacco-related television news and perceived risks of smoking and thoughts about quitting. The authors used Cision US, Inc., to create a sampling frame (N = 61,027) of local and national television news coverage of tobacco from October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009, and to draw a nationally representative sample (N = 730) for content analysis. The authors conducted a descriptive study to determine the frequency and proportion of stories contain ...[more]

PMID: 26176379

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Dataset Information

A Descriptive Study of Television News Coverage of Tobacco in the United States: Frequency of Topics, Frames, Exemplars, and Efficacy.

Publications

A Descriptive Study of Television News Coverage of Tobacco in the United States: Frequency of Topics, Frames, Exemplars, and Efficacy.

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