Online news coverage on relaxation of alcohol sales during lockdown following COVID-19 in India: missing the forest for the trees?

Singh, Simrandeep; Chandiok, Ketaki; Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh

doi:10.1080/14659891.2020.1846810

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(11 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, risk of health harms from alcohol, beyond the role of alcohol in facilitating COVID‐19 transmission, was far less prominent in the articles reviewed than the risk of social disorder. This reaffirms research on media reports of COVID‐19 restrictions in Canada and India, which revealed limited consideration of the wider public health impacts from alcohol [ 2 , 19 ].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

“…Research is emerging examining media reporting of alcohol‐related issues during COVID‐19 in different countries. Media analysis has been conducted to identify health and social impacts of the ban on alcohol in India during its first lockdown in 2020 [ 18 ], and to explore public and other stakeholders' views on the subsequent lifting of the ban [ 19 ]. In Canada, Ogbogu and Hardcastle's [ 2 ] content analysis of media representations of access to ‘essential’ services during the first lockdown in 2020 found only a small minority of articles discussed the designation of liquor stores as essential, and all of these were supportive of the policy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Framings of risk and responsibility in newsprint media coverage of alcohol licensing regulations during the COVID‐19 pandemic in England

Reynolds

2022

Drug and Alcohol Review

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Introduction: Licensing is recognised as a World Health Organization (WHO) 'best buy' for reducing alcohol harms. In response to the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, many countries-imposed restrictions on outlets selling alcohol to reduce virus transmission. In England, while shops selling alcohol were deemed 'essential', multiple restrictions were imposed on licenced outlets such as pubs and bars. Media reporting of licensing restrictions during the pandemic might have shaped public discourses of alcohol risks and responsibilities.Methods: This study aimed to understand how alcohol licensing changes in England were framed in newsprint media. Two hundred and fifty-three relevant articles from UK newsprint publications were identified through the Nexis database, published within six time points between March and December 2020 reflecting key changes to licencing in England. Thematic analysis, drawing on framing theory, was conducted to identify 'problems' framed in the reporting of these changes.Results: Four dominant framings were identified: (i) licensed premises as 'risky' spaces; (ii) problematic drinking practices; (iii) problematic policy responses; and (iv) 'victimisation' of licensed premises. The presence of these framings shifted across the reporting period, but consistently, social disorder was constructed as a key risk relating to licensing changes over health harms from alcohol consumption. Discussion and Conclusions:The analysis shows newsprint media reproduced narratives of 'inevitable' drinking culture and social disorder, but also emphasised expectations for evidence-based policy-making, in the context of licensing during the pandemic. Discourses of dissatisfaction with licensing decisions suggests potential for public health advocacy to push for licensing change to reduce alcohol health harms, in England and internationally.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%