title: Media portrayals of the female condom.
abstract: This study examines newspaper and broadcast news depictions of the female condom from 1993 to 2009 in the three major television networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC), and in 8 of 10 top daily newspapers and 3 of 4 national newspapers published in the United States, according to circulation figures as of September 30, 2008. Given the high rates of sexually transmitted infections in the United States and their effect on women, particularly those between 15 and 24 years of age, it is important to examine media sources and the health information that the public is or is not receiving through these sources. This study (a) examines whether the female condom was depicted positively or negatively in broadcast and newspaper coverage, (b) determines the ways in which the female condom was compared with the male condom and with other contraceptives, and (c) identifies the sources used by journalists in female condom portrayals. The authors discuss the implications of the coverage of the female condom by broadcast and print news.
authors: Department of Communication, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019, USA. chatterjee@uta.edu
authors: Karishma
authors: K
authors: Chatterjee
authors: Charla
authors: C
authors: Markham Shaw
mesh_terms: D017280:Condoms; D019111:Single-Use Internal Condom; D005260:Female; D058015:Health Communication; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination / Q000379:methods*; D018156:Journalism, Medical; D008297:Male; D009524:Newspapers as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011639:Public Opinion; D013690:Television / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States