Framing public health issues: the case of smoking ban in Greece, Public Health Policy Framing equals Healthy Framing of Public Policy?

Abstract

The issue of smoking in public places has attracted some attention in the news media in the light of a new legislation forbidding smoking in non-designated areas (such as cafes, restaurants, etc.) in Greece. The study looks at the print news media (front-page coverage of the Greek newspapers) and analyses the frames used in the news coverage of the introduction of the legislation. Moreover, it explores both through the frames themselves and the journalistic practices that are used to promote those frames, the variation in coverage across the timeline of the law enforcement and among the different types of newspapers (political versus economic newspapers); this reveals factors affecting the decision not to implement the smoke ban law in non-designated areas in Greece. The news frames used appear in five forms (Economic Frame, Political/Policy Frame, Health Frame, Ideological Frame, and Image of ‘Being Cool’ Frame). The perceived persuasiveness of the message as well as the perceived influence of the news media on the public is also examined through the Thematic versus the Episodic Frame, and the Gain-Frame versus the Loss-Frame. As a result, it is discerned and indicated the print news media's intention for the political communication and power frame game in the public sphere and especially regarding public health issues.