Report on the content analysis of media coverage of water fluoridation Item Type Report Authors Drury Research Citation Drury Research. 2000. Report on the content analysis of media coverage of water fluoridation. Dublin: Drury Research. Publisher Dental Health Foundation Ireland Download date 27/09/2021 00:31:40 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10147/560462 Find this and similar works at - http://www.lenus.ie/hse ~ --- ----- -- -~~ I I el , 0 I I I " I I I I o I I I I I' I I / I / I I { \ I \ \ I - - -- - - - -- - - - - -- - -- - - - - -- . - - - --- - --- -- .. -.... '0:=- --" ".:'" - ,- ',- --:. ' -::.:. " ' " ' .. -, -- -- -, , ?:: .. - - - ' '~ .. " " '-- :---:- " " ~-' ~I ", '-, ".:::'--:- ::;., ':::=- 1 -" -::: '-="--'-, ~ .. 1 --.:- -; :.. -, , - 1 -', .-::.: . ,-~'·I -"" --::. -- 1 --.":"-/,' .,::~';- -::.: , =--:::- .. " ,-: .... -~.. (.? ',' r:-:-: -:----~ -- ,..-:- ;~I ~-. -" 1 ... .... " ~. - " " ' ..:...- r --'__ ~' -: , , '- ':-.' " . ..-;. , , ~-'" , , , ,- " ~- -. -:' ~--' -::' ,- ----" ',- ".-- I' --------------------- Omtal H~Blth Founda1ion Ireland Report on the Content Analysis of Media Coverage of Water Fluoridation Prepared by: Drury Research 19th December 2000 :::a . a::= Drury Research --------------------- Dental Health Foundation OBJECTIVES Ire!and • To examine and evaluate the media coverage of water fluoridation which has been monitored * across all media by the Dental Health Foundation. *This may not represent all coverage. :::J2 ~ Drury Research .- --- - ---------- ------ Dental Hralth Foundation METHODOLOGY Irt'!and • The process involved the analysis of all monitored print, radio and television coverage of the water fluoridation issue between December 1999 and November 2000.(See list of articles Appendix 1) • The total number of media articleslbulletins examined was 240 and included the following; - National newspapers, Leinster, Munster and ConnaughtlUlster Regionals and other Periodicals .. National television news :::.e - National and Regional radio coverage. c::::::= Drury Research --------------------- Orntal Hrallh Foundation METHODOLOGY h~rand • Each individual article !bulletin was examined and evaluated under three separate areas ;. a) The headline b) The first 3 paragraphs or the first part of the bulletin c) The overall tone • They were rated on a three point scale ranging from Negative (-1) to Neutral (0) to Positive (+ 1). ~ c:::::= Drury Research ~-------------------- --------------------- Dental Hcallh Foundation METHODOLOGY Ir~ .. nd • The coding of all individual scores was carried out by executives from Drury Research - each individual rating was double checked by a second executive to ensure consistency in the evaluation process. • The following charts represent a summary of the evaluation. ::e a:= Drury Research --------------------- '-I Dental Health Foundation TOTAL CONTENrT ANALYSIS 1,.I,nd (ALL ITEMS) Headline First Three Overall Paral!.raphs Neg Neu Pos Ne)t Neu Pos N~ Neu Pos Newspaper 26 23 2 28 20 3 29 18 4 National Leinster 18 16 3 15 19 3 22 lJ 4 Munster 5 5 I 5 4 2 7 3 I ConnlUlster 30 32 6 38 15 15 35 20 13 Other 12 17 4 14 12 7 lJ 16 6 Periodicals Letters 10 4 I - -- 12 2 1 TV 6 0 0 3 2 1 4 2 0 Radio 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 National Re!!ional 9 4 2 - - - 10 3 2 -1l8 102 20 -105 73 32 c132 76 32 (49%) (43%) (8%) (50%) (35%) (15%) (55%) (32%) (13%) ::::2 a:::: Drury Research --------------------- Dental Health Foundation Ireland T'OT'AL CONT'ENT ANALYSIS (ALL IT'EMS) • Media coverage of the water fluoridation issue across print, T.V and radio tended to be negative (50% + scoring -1). • The high percentage of negative coverage must be understood in light of its increased dramatic/sensational appeal. • The impact of this negative media coverage should not be underestimated as consumers may be more likely to recall negative versus positive information. :a a:::=' Drury Research --------------------- Denl31 Health FClUndation Ireland T'OT'AL CONTENT ANALYSIS (ALL ITEMS) • Almost 1/2 (49%) of the total number of media headlines concerning water fluoridation were negative with (43%) being neutral and only (8%) adopting a positive stance. • The balance of the overall media coverage also tended to be negatively predisposed towards water fluoridation (55%) with only (32%)and (13%) being neutral and positive respectively. :a a::::= Drury Research --------------------- "d' Dental Health Foundation TOT'AL CONTENT Irt'land ANALYSIS (ALL IITEMS) Headlines Overall Positive Positive 13% 8% Negative Negative 49% Neutral 55% Neutral 32% 43% ~ Base =240 ~ Drury Research --------------------- ~. Omtal Health Foundation Ireland PRINTI ARTICLES (T10TIAL) • Almost 1/2 of all printed articles headlines were negative (45%) with only (8%) being positive. • Only 15% of all printed articles were positively predisposed towards water fluoridation in their first three paragraphs. • Similarly, of the total number of printed articles the "overall" perspective tended to be negative (52% ) with only (14%) adopting a positive stance on water fluoridation. =:a ~ Drury Research --------------------- Dental Health Foundation PRINTE,D ARTICLES Ireland (T'OTAL) Headlines First 3 Paragraphs Positive Positive 8% 15% Negative 45% Negative 50% Overall 47% Positive 14% Negative 52% Neutral 34% ~ Base =200 ~ Drury Research --------------------- Dental Hc:alth Foundation NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Ireland NATIONAL • A little over half of all the national headlines printed were negative (51 %). Only 4% of headlines were positive with the remainder being neutral. • Only 6% of the first three paragraphs of national articles were positive. • In general the overall balance of national articles tended to be negative (57%) with only 8% positive. • Approximately 1/3 of all national articles written adopted a neutral perspective. =a a=:= Drury Research ---------- -- ------ _.- 'dO OC'ntal H~allh Foundalion NEWSPAPER ARTIICLES Ireland NATIONAL Headlines First 3 Paragraphs Positive Positive 6% 4% Neutral Neutral N ega tive S1 % 39% Negative 4S% Overall SS% Positive 8% Neutral 35% Negative 57% ~ Base =51 ~ Drury Research ---------------- Dental Heallh foundation NEWSPAPER Ireland IRISH T~MES VS IRISH INDEPENDENrTl • The Irish Independent appeared to be particularly negative in its overall coverage of the fluoridation issue (84%) negative. • In contrast, the Irish Times appeared to offer a more balanced perspective on the issue with (50%) being negative, (33%) neutral and (17%) positive. • The base are small for each, however. :a a::= Drury Research ---------------------- NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ~~IH ••llhFoUndal;On b~land IRISH TIMES V'S IRISH INDEPENDENT Irish Independent Irish Times 17% 6% 50% 33% 84% o Negative [] Negative .Neutral Base = 13 III Neutral o Positive ~ ~ Drury Research Base = 6 --------------------- Dental Health Foundation Ireland NEWSPA_PEJR ARTICLES (REGIONALS) • Coverage was even more negative across regional press with 59% of Leinster, 63% of Munster and 51 % of ConnaughtlUlster regionals adopting a negative perspective overall on water fluoridation. • The overall positive scores for Leinster (11 %), Munster (10%) and ConnaughtlUlster (20%) were low. :2 a::=' Drury Research --------------------- NEWSPAPER ARTICLES ~bIH.allh~Undal;On Ireland LEINSTER REGIONALS Headlines First 3 Paragraphs Positive Positive 8% 8% Negative 41% Negative 49% Overall Neutral Positive 43% 11% Neutral 30% Negative 59% ~ Base =37 ~ Drury Research --------------------- --------------------- '...d Dental Health Fcundatian NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Irel.md MUNSTER REGIONALIS Headlines First 3 Paragraphs Positive Positive 10% 19% Negative Negative 45% 45% Overall Positive 10% Neutral 36% Neutral 27% ~ Base = 11 ~ Drury Research --------------------- ~bIH.allh~Undal;On NEWSPAPER ARTICLES Ireland CONNJULSTER REGIONALS Headlines First 3 Paragraphs. Positive Positive 9% 22% N ega.tive 44% Negative 56% Overall Positive Negative 51% Neutral ~ Base =68 ~ Drury Research 29% --------------------- Omtal Health Foundation lu~,jand OTIHER PRINT MEDIA • Printed articles outside the mainstream press seemed to adopt a more balanced outlook with approximately (49%) of the articles being neutral. • This may be due to the more scientific nature of the medical publications such as the Irish Medical Times, Irish Medical News etc. • Out of 15 letters to the editor, 12 (80%) adopted an overall negative stance. :a c::=:= Drury Research --------------------- Dent&ll Health Foundation OTHER PRINT MEDIA Ir~land Headlines First 3 Paragraphs Positive 12% Positive 21 % Negative 36% Negative 43% Overall Neutral 52% Neutral 49% ~ Base =33 ~ Drury Research --------------------- Dmtal Heollh Foundalion Irrland TELEVISION COVERAGE, • In short T.V monitoring was limited to only 6 bulletins. • However, the impact of television coverage should not be underestimated. • The majority of overall T.V coverage tended to be negative. • Of the six items of TV coverage monitored, 4 were negative and 2 were neutral. ::2 a:::::= Drury Research --------------------- Dental Heallh Foundation Ireland Headlines Overall Negative 100% Neutral 33% ~ ~ Drury Research Base =6 --------------------- Dmtal Htalth Foundation NATIONAL RADIO Ireland COVERAGE • Total "overall" radio coverage was decidedly negative (63%) with approximately 1 in 5 programmes being neutral (21 %) and only (16%) being positive Headlines Overall Positive Positive 16% 16% Neutral Neutral Negative 21% 26% 58% ~ Base =19 ~ Drury Research --------------------- Dental H~allh Foundation REGIONAL RADIO Ir~and COVERAGE • Regional radio was