14th International AIDS Conference Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. E11483)

Cullen T
Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia

BACKGROUND: Quantitative content analysis of press coverage in Africa, USA and Europe (most notably France and Britain) revealed a common pattern: initially a slow response in which certain groups such as homosexuals and drug addicts were targeted. This was followed by increased coverage, sometimes to saturation levels, after acknowledgement of HIV/AIDS in the wider population. Finally, in the last stage, there was a decline in the number of news items. This pattern reflects what Downs (1972) described as the rise, peak and decline of press interest in a well-established health issue. This cycle has come full circle in many countries and this may explain why HIV/AIDS has virtually disappeared from newspapers unless it has a sensational angle.

METHODOLOGY: To test this theory, the author undertook a quantitative content analysis of all news items on HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea's (PNG) two daily newspapers. The period covered a 13-year period from 1987 - when the first HIV case was discovered - until 2001 when the National AIDS Council was formed. PNG was selected because it is the largest country in the Pacific and has the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases in the region. The United Nations fear that HIV in PNG could spread as widely as in some Sub-Saharan African countries.

RESULTS: Press coverage of HIV/AIDS in PNG followed closely the threefold chronological pattern adopted by the press in other countries with variations in timing and emphasis. Similar mistakes were repeated, most notably an initial over-emphasis on risk groups rather than risk-behaviour and hardly any information about ways to prevent infection.

CONCLUSIONS: The "issue-attention" cycle does not adequately reflect the extent and complexity of a HIV/AIDS epidemic in a particular country. Therefore, replace it with another model or introduce a news value that allows for a more consistent and accurate coverage. Secondly, educate the editors since they decide what is newsworthy.

020707
E11483

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