From Press Release to News: Mapping the Framing of the 2009 H1N1 A Influenza Pandemic

Abstract

Pandemics challenge conventional assumptions about health promotion, message development, community engagement, and the role of news media. To understand the use of press releases in news coverage of pandemics, this study traces the development of framing devices from a government public health agency's press releases to news stories about the 2009 H1N1 A influenza pandemic. The communication management of the H1N1 pandemic, an international news event with local implications, by the Singapore government is a rich locus for understanding the dynamics of public relations, health communication, and journalism. A content analysis shows that the evolution of information from press release to news is marked by significant changes in media frames, including the expansion and diversification in dominant frames and emotion appeals, stronger thematic framing, more sources of information, conversion of loss frames into gain frames, and amplification of positive tone favoring the public health agency's position. Contrary to previous research that suggests that government information subsidies passed almost unchanged through media gatekeepers, the news coverage of the pandemic reflects journalists' selectivity in disseminating the government press releases and in mediating the information flow and frames from the press releases.

Predictors of H1N1 Influenza Pandemic News Coverage: Explicating the Relationships between Framing and News Release Selection

“…Turk (1985), who content analyzed news releases and news in general, found that media gatekeepers are active in filtering information from releases. Only a few studies (Lee & Basnyat, 2013;Nucci, Cuite, & Hallman, 2009) focused on news releases in health news. Only a few studies (Lee & Basnyat, 2013;Nucci, Cuite, & Hallman, 2009) focused on news releases in health news.…”

“…Lee and Basnyat (2013) found that in pandemics, the themes of news releases included basic information or the factual information updates on H1N1 in terms of fatalities or confirmed cases or WHO actions; preventive information such as good behaviors that prevents H1N1 spread such as hand washing and temperature taking; treatment information such as options about what to do, and where to go; medical findings such as vaccine efficacy or virus mutations; and personal stories based on the experiences of H1N1 patients/families. Lee and Basnyat (2013) found that in pandemics, the themes of news releases included basic information or the factual information updates on H1N1 in terms of fatalities or confirmed cases or WHO actions; preventive information such as good behaviors that prevents H1N1 spread such as hand washing and temperature taking; treatment information such as options about what to do, and where to go; medical findings such as vaccine efficacy or virus mutations; and personal stories based on the experiences of H1N1 patients/families.…”

The Mediated Amplification of a Crisis: Communicating the A/H1N1 Pandemic in Press Releases and Press Coverage in Europe

“…Journalists have to respect deadlines, may interpret the news against their own knowledge and attitudinal background, must adhere to editorial and market rules, and are often not experts in the health field . To meet the many demands, journalists rely on information stemming from scientific sources and press releases, but change and edit it, emphasizing some information while attenuating other information . Indeed, the media have often been criticized for inadequate and inaccurate coverage .…”

“…When covering health issues in the media, journalists rely on information from various sources, such as press releases distributed from health authorities, information provided by health‐care providers, spokespersons, or scientific experts, websites, and scientific journals . In health crises, journalists especially rely on experts and press releases from governmental and health organizations in order to receive reliable and up‐to‐date information . Among the various communication tools in use by public institutions, press releases, understood as “official documents that are publicly disseminated,” are the most important.…”

“…In particular, this study refers to the communication of risks in press releases and news coverage. We analyze news media because they are crucial intermediaries for communicating risk information to the public, especially in crisis situations . We furthermore analyze press releases because journalists, on their part, often rely on them during health crises, which require specialized knowledge many journalists do not have …”