Understanding newsworthiness of an emerging pandemic: International newspaper coverage of the H1N1 outbreak

• Published in: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses
• Main Authors: Smith, Katherine C., Rimal, Rajiv N., Sandberg, Helena, Storey, John D., Lagasse, Lisa, Maulsby, Catherine, Rhoades, Elizabeth, Barnett, Daniel J., Omer, Saad B., Links, Jonathan M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2012
• Subjects: Avian flu
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/irv.12073; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Firv.12073; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/irv.12073

Background and Objectives During an evolving public health crisis, news organizations disseminate information rapidly, much of which is uncertain, dynamic, and difficult to verify. We examine factors related to international news coverage of H1N 1 during the first month after the outbreak in late A pril 2009 and consider the news media's role as an information source during an emerging pandemic. Methods Data on H1N 1 news were compiled in real time from newspaper websites across twelve countries between A pril 29, 2009 and M ay 28, 2009. A news sample was purposively constructed to capture variation in countries' prior experience with avian influenza outbreaks and pandemic preparation efforts. We analyzed the association between H1N 1 news volume and four predictor variables: geographic region, prior experience of a novel flu strain ( H5N 1), existence of a national pandemic plan, and existence of a localized H1N 1 outbreak. Results H1N1 news was initially extensive but declined rapidly ( OR = 0·85, P < .001). Pandemic planning did not predict newsworthiness. However, countries with prior avian flu experience had higher news volume ( OR = 1·411, P < .05), suggesting that H1N 1 newsworthiness was bolstered by past experiences. The proportion of H1N 1 news was significantly lower in E urope than elsewhere ( OR = 0·388, P < 0·05). Finally, coverage of H1N 1 increased after a first in‐country case ( OR = 1·415, P < .01), interrupting the pattern of coverage decline. Conclusions Findings demonstrate the enhanced newsworthiness of localized threats, even during an emerging pandemic. We discuss implications for news media's role in effective public health communication throughout an epidemic given the demonstrated precipitous decline in news interest.