Media Comment in Health News Coverage: Covid-19 Pandemic Case
Subject Areas : Health information management
Fariba Jafari
1
,
Akbar Nasrollahi Kasmani
2
,
Ali Akbar Farhangi
3
,
Ali Delavar
4
1 - PhD Student in Media Management, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Assistant Professor, Faculty of Communication Sciences and Media Studies, Central Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 - Professor, Faculty of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
4 - Professor, Department of Measurement, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran
Keywords: Health News, Valuation, Covid-19, Media Comment, Germany, Iran,
Abstract :
Introduction: In light of the function of news in reflection of politics and practice relevant to health and with the aim of the analyses of health news coverage this article deals with a comparison of media valuations in Corona news of Iranian and German television programs. Methods: The study is descriptive with content analyses of newscasts. The sample comprises 62 news broadcasts of four networks that were chosen non randomly from two Iranian (Networks One and Two) and two German channels (ARD and ZDF). After the choice of dimensions and themes of the health news a code sheet was created by which 749 news related to health, mainly to Corona, and aired from February 18th to March 22nd, 2020 were encoded and analyzed (with SPSS).Results: Almost a third of all health news on Iran's Networks One and Two (32.9% and 28.4%, respectively) featured ratings with no clear distinction from actual news content. The two German broadcasters generally concentrated on the hard facts and largely adhered to the separation rule between news and commentary.For news about health-related human and material capacities and shortages, the rate of positive ratings in Iranian networks was higher than for all health news (Network One 13.3% vs. 10.7% and Network Two 22.8% vs.11.5%).The main feature of political news related to health is the high proportion of negative ratings in Iranian channels and on ZDF.Conclusion: To build confidence in the news, the separation between messages and comments can play an appropriate role.
1- Taheri Kharameh Z, Barati M, Khoshravesh S. Health is the Key to the Realization of Sustainable Development Goals. J Educ Community Health, 2017; 4 (3): 1-3.
2- Khaniki H, Atefimanesh R. Health Communications: Backgrounds and its perspectives in development; http://www.khaniki.com. [Cited 2015 January 23]
3- Covello VT. Risk Communication and Message Mapping: A new tool for Communicating Effectively in Public Health Emergencies and Disasters. Journal of Emergency Management, 2006; 4(3): 25-40.
4- Khajeali jahantighi Z, Abazari Z, Mirhosseini Z, Babalhavaeji F. Identifying Dimensions and Components of Self-Care Informing of Patients in Medical Information System of Iran by Fuzzy Delphi Approach. Journal of Healthcare Managemen. 2020; 10 (4): 79-95. [In Persian]
5- Post S, Bienzeisler N, Lohöfener M. Political Communication in Lockdown. How Well did the Citizens feel Informed? 2020; 1-7. https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/suche.html?query=Politische+Kommunikation+im+Lockdown#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=Politische%20Kommunikation%20im%20Lockdown&gsc.page=1 [In German]
6- Gollust S E, Fowler E F, Niederdeppe J. Television News Coverage of Public Health Issues and Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice. Annual Review of Public Health. Apr 2019; (1) 40:167-185.
7- Nemati Anaraki D. Psychology of Trust in the Media. Media and Culture Journal, 2017; 7 (1): 147–179. [In Persian]
8- Hosseini M, Shahri A, Phalp K, Raian A. Four Reference Models for Transparency Requirements in Information Systems, Requirements Eng, 2018; 23: 251–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00766-017-0265-y [cited 2018 June]
9- Sharafeddin H, Koohi A. Evolutions of the Principles of Objectivism and Neutrality in the Professional Ethics of the Media, Journal Religion and cultural politics. 2016; 7(2): 95-108
10- Mardiha M. The Representational Aspect of Media News: An Epistemological Approach. Global Media Journal, 2019; 13(2), 228-253. [In Persian]
11- Silverblatt A, Ferry J, Finan B. Approaches to Media Literacy: A Handbook. Translator Amir Yazdian. Center for Islamic Studies of Radio and Television of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Edition 2, 2014
12- Lippman W. Public Opinion. New Brunswick and London. Transaction Publishers. Edition 2, 1998
13- Hormozizadeh M A, vahedi M, Razavi Tousi S M. Analyzing the Content of 60 Minutes of Persian BBC News about the 11th Presidential Election. Quarterly Journal of Radio Television, 2014; 10 (24): 63-104.
14- Shoar Ghaffari P. News Advertising and National Interests. Media Quarterly, Educational (1), 1997
15- Hussman C. Crisis of Conscience: Crisis of Conscience (Ethics of Journalism). Translated by Davood Heidari, Media Publications, 1998
16- Dyer R. The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. 2nd ed. London, 2002; https://lib.ugent.be/catalog/rug01:000819819
17- Dahlgren P. Television and the Public Sphere: Citizenship, Democracy and the Media. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif, 1995
18- Lessig L. Institutional Corruptions. Edmond J. Safra Working Papers. 1, 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2233582. (Mar 15, 2013)
19- Petković B. Media Integrity Matters: Reclaiming Public Service Values in Media and Journalism: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, 2014; Ljubljana: Peace Institute
20- Terzis G. The Role of Media in Times of Crisis, Communication Research, Quarterly Journal of Research and Measurement, translated by Abbas Shakiba, 2005; (42,43): 216-203.
21- Post S, Bienzeisler N, Lohöfener M A. Desire for Authoritative Science? How Citizens’ Informational Needs and Epistemic Beliefs Shaped their Views of Science, News, and Policymaking in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public Understanding of Science, 2021
22- Severin J W, Tankard W J. Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media. Texas, Longman, 2001; 5(E).
23- McQuail D. An Introduction to Mass Communication Theory, translated by Parviz Ejlali. Tehran: Center for Media Studies and Research, 2003
24- Grimmer J, Stewart B M. Text as Data: The Promise and Pitfalls of Automatic Content Analysis Methods for Political Texts, Edited by R. Michael Alvarez. Political Analysis Advance Access published January 22, 2013
25- "News 21 of One Sima Network"," News 20.30 Second Channel of Sima". https://www.telewebion.com, 2020
26- "News 20:00 Tagesschau ARD TV Network". https://www.tagesschau.de, 2020
27- "News 19:00 Heute-Nachrichten Television Network ZDF ". https://www.zdf.de, 2020
28- Leidenberger J. The Tabloidization of Television News: a Content Analysis of Major German and French News Programs: Springer-Verlag; 2014. [In German]
29- Ghasemi H, Fanazad R. Media Rights. Andisheh Ara;1398
30- Harrison S, Johnson P. Challenges in the Adoption of Crisis Crowdsourcing and Social Media in Canadian Emergency Management. Government Information Quarterly; 2019: 36(3): 501-509.
_||_
1- Taheri Kharameh Z, Barati M, Khoshravesh S. Health is the Key to the Realization of Sustainable Development Goals. J Educ Community Health, 2017; 4 (3): 1-3.
2- Khaniki H, Atefimanesh R. Health Communications: Backgrounds and its perspectives in development; http://www.khaniki.com. [Cited 2015 January 23]
3- Covello VT. Risk Communication and Message Mapping: A new tool for Communicating Effectively in Public Health Emergencies and Disasters. Journal of Emergency Management, 2006; 4(3): 25-40.
4- Khajeali jahantighi Z, Abazari Z, Mirhosseini Z, Babalhavaeji F. Identifying Dimensions and Components of Self-Care Informing of Patients in Medical Information System of Iran by Fuzzy Delphi Approach. Journal of Healthcare Managemen. 2020; 10 (4): 79-95. [In Persian]
5- Post S, Bienzeisler N, Lohöfener M. Political Communication in Lockdown. How Well did the Citizens feel Informed? 2020; 1-7. https://www.uni-goettingen.de/de/suche.html?query=Politische+Kommunikation+im+Lockdown#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=Politische%20Kommunikation%20im%20Lockdown&gsc.page=1 [In German]
6- Gollust S E, Fowler E F, Niederdeppe J. Television News Coverage of Public Health Issues and Implications for Public Health Policy and Practice. Annual Review of Public Health. Apr 2019; (1) 40:167-185.
7- Nemati Anaraki D. Psychology of Trust in the Media. Media and Culture Journal, 2017; 7 (1): 147–179. [In Persian]
8- Hosseini M, Shahri A, Phalp K, Raian A. Four Reference Models for Transparency Requirements in Information Systems, Requirements Eng, 2018; 23: 251–275. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00766-017-0265-y [cited 2018 June]
9- Sharafeddin H, Koohi A. Evolutions of the Principles of Objectivism and Neutrality in the Professional Ethics of the Media, Journal Religion and cultural politics. 2016; 7(2): 95-108
10- Mardiha M. The Representational Aspect of Media News: An Epistemological Approach. Global Media Journal, 2019; 13(2), 228-253. [In Persian]
11- Silverblatt A, Ferry J, Finan B. Approaches to Media Literacy: A Handbook. Translator Amir Yazdian. Center for Islamic Studies of Radio and Television of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Edition 2, 2014
12- Lippman W. Public Opinion. New Brunswick and London. Transaction Publishers. Edition 2, 1998
13- Hormozizadeh M A, vahedi M, Razavi Tousi S M. Analyzing the Content of 60 Minutes of Persian BBC News about the 11th Presidential Election. Quarterly Journal of Radio Television, 2014; 10 (24): 63-104.
14- Shoar Ghaffari P. News Advertising and National Interests. Media Quarterly, Educational (1), 1997
15- Hussman C. Crisis of Conscience: Crisis of Conscience (Ethics of Journalism). Translated by Davood Heidari, Media Publications, 1998
16- Dyer R. The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. 2nd ed. London, 2002; https://lib.ugent.be/catalog/rug01:000819819
17- Dahlgren P. Television and the Public Sphere: Citizenship, Democracy and the Media. London; Thousand Oaks, Calif, 1995
18- Lessig L. Institutional Corruptions. Edmond J. Safra Working Papers. 1, 2013; http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2233582. (Mar 15, 2013)
19- Petković B. Media Integrity Matters: Reclaiming Public Service Values in Media and Journalism: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia, 2014; Ljubljana: Peace Institute
20- Terzis G. The Role of Media in Times of Crisis, Communication Research, Quarterly Journal of Research and Measurement, translated by Abbas Shakiba, 2005; (42,43): 216-203.
21- Post S, Bienzeisler N, Lohöfener M A. Desire for Authoritative Science? How Citizens’ Informational Needs and Epistemic Beliefs Shaped their Views of Science, News, and Policymaking in the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public Understanding of Science, 2021
22- Severin J W, Tankard W J. Communication Theories: Origins, Methods and Uses in the Mass Media. Texas, Longman, 2001; 5(E).
23- McQuail D. An Introduction to Mass Communication Theory, translated by Parviz Ejlali. Tehran: Center for Media Studies and Research, 2003
24- Grimmer J, Stewart B M. Text as Data: The Promise and Pitfalls of Automatic Content Analysis Methods for Political Texts, Edited by R. Michael Alvarez. Political Analysis Advance Access published January 22, 2013
25- "News 21 of One Sima Network"," News 20.30 Second Channel of Sima". https://www.telewebion.com, 2020
26- "News 20:00 Tagesschau ARD TV Network". https://www.tagesschau.de, 2020
27- "News 19:00 Heute-Nachrichten Television Network ZDF ". https://www.zdf.de, 2020
28- Leidenberger J. The Tabloidization of Television News: a Content Analysis of Major German and French News Programs: Springer-Verlag; 2014. [In German]
29- Ghasemi H, Fanazad R. Media Rights. Andisheh Ara;1398
30- Harrison S, Johnson P. Challenges in the Adoption of Crisis Crowdsourcing and Social Media in Canadian Emergency Management. Government Information Quarterly; 2019: 36(3): 501-509.