The news on health care funding: a study of reporting in the Australian print media for 1996.
OBJECTIVE
To review the coverage of health care funding and resourcing issues in the quality printed media in Australia.


METHODS
Content analysis of all articles in six major print publications with detailed commentary on four major issues.


RESULTS
One thousand one hundred and fifty articles were published over 12 months, most in the front three pages. Coverage of many issues was prompted by an event, such as an election, government budget or policy announcement. Although issues were rarely personalized, the use of an individual authoritative spokesperson was, with some individuals becoming well recognised as experts. In general, these experts represented vested interest or lobby groups. The media discussion rarely dealt with the system as a whole, and generally approached a topic or issue in isolation from its inter-relationships with other issues.


CONCLUSIONS
Health care funding stories are newsworthy but more for their political interest than as reflection of a social debate about values. Media reports rarely deal with the complexity of health policy issues, or challenge the assumptions and positions put forward.
Haas
M
M
Centre for Health Economics Research and Evaluation, Central Sydney Area Health Services, 88 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2080, Australia.
Chapman
S
S
Viney
R
R
Hall
J
J
Ferguson
A
A
D001315:Australia; D015706:Bibliometrics; D005381:Financing, Organized; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006280:Health Workforce; D008119:Lobbying; D008402:Mass Media; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D017149:Private Sector / Q000191:economics; D017150:Public Sector / Q000191:economics; D014850:Waiting Lists