Newspaper coverage of the health element in the G20 India presidency: New Delhi leader’s declaration

Abstract

The significance of health to the human population is well acknowledged, given that individuals universally encounter their state of health throughout their lifespan. The imposition of a time constraint on health education is seen unfeasible, as its content necessitates periodic updates to align with the evolving nature of human existence. However, acquiring this level of awareness is not always attainable through seeking guidance from a medical practitioner or specialist. In this context, the media plays a significant role in providing useful insights. The G20 Presidency Meeting took place in New Delhi from September 9 to 10, 2023, focusing on the theme of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future.' This study conducted a critical analysis of the newspaper articles that covered the topic of 'health', both in relation to the discussions held during the summit and as a component of the G20 New Delhi Leaders Declaration. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on a set of seven newspapers over a span of four days, with meticulous attention given to minimising any human errors. A detailed study was conducted on a total of 28 pieces, specifically focusing on the extent to which global health issues were covered in G20 news coverage. It was observed that under G20 news coverage, which had almost taken 70% of new space, the reference to ‘Health' was negligible. With the exception of one newspaper, the majority of media, including national dailies, have just referred the term "health" inside the declaration. In addition to various other concerns, the term in question is solely included within the article and the reference is not of significance and mostly in the concluding part of the Delhi declaration giveaways. The significant matter has been largely disregarded.