Media Analysis and Public Health: Contemporary Issues in Critical Public Health

This volume explores new approaches to studying public health in traditional and emerging media, emphasizing the need for more analyses of media production and power dynamics, as well as audience reception. It investigates the role of big business in shaping public opinion, the framing of health issues, conflicts over immunizations, health promotion messages, and the positive role of online media in fostering drug safety. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of understanding how the media works and its impact on public health, particularly for those studying media shape policy and public health researchers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 132 pages
Publication date: 31 March 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive volume explores innovative approaches to examining public health within both traditional and emerging media platforms, emphasizing the need for further research that delves into the production processes of media and the dynamics of power. It also calls for studies that focus on the reception of media messages by audiences.

The collection poses a multitude of thought-provoking questions regarding the role of media in analyzing public health. Contributors delve into inquiries such as who holds significant influence in shaping the narratives presented in the press and on social media? Who stands to gain or suffer from media discussions on health-related issues? They investigate the influence of corporate entities in attempting to shape public opinion and consumption through print and online media. They examine how specific topics, such as hand washing, are framed over time by newspapers, how conflicts surrounding immunizations are covered, how health promotion messages effectively communicate, and the positive impact of online media in promoting drug safety.

Through their collective analysis, the contributors conclude that a deeper understanding of how the media operates and its implications for public health is paramount, as the media plays a vital role in shaping health debates, elevating certain issues to the policy forefront, defining problems for audiences, and presenting potential solutions. This book holds particular interest for scholars studying how the media shapes policy, as well as public health researchers with a keen interest in mass communication.

Originally published as a special issue of Critical Public Health, this book offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between media and public health, contributing to our understanding of this critical realm.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 246 x 174 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367784546