Study Asks if Reporter's Gender or Audience Predict Paper's Cancer Coverage

Abstract

Research shows women and racial and ethnic minorities are generally less represented as subjects and sources in news stories.1 Likewise, they have been under represented in medical research.2 The 1968 Kerner Commission Report, which implicated the news media for not adequately representing the lives of African Americans,3 spurred the news media to reflect U.S. societal groups more accurately. Similarly, government decisions, such as the 1995 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention policy requiring all externally funded researchers to explain their inclusion of women and minorities, are meant to increase the generalizability of medical research findings and increase knowledge of diseases that affect women and racial and ethnic minorities.4 Data show that blacks carry a heavier disease burden than does the general U.S. population5 and that the same disease can affect men and women differently.6Black newspapers have historically served as advocates for their readers, and, in the same way, some research shows female reporters are more likely to advocate for women (e.g., address women's rights and use female sources). The purpose of this research is twofold:* to determine if black newspapers and women appear to serve as advocates* to look at gender representation in both black and general audience newspapers. Researchers have studied reporter gender and the reporting of gender-specific cancers in network TV news and showed that men did most cancer story reporting.7More specifically, this study investigates how black newspapers and general audience8 newspapers serve their readers by reporting on gender-specific cancers relative to cancer incidence and mortality rates. It also evaluates whether the gender of the reporter is associated with cancer reporting, reporting of gender-specific cancers and the use of female story sources. Considering reporter gender is important because it is associated with story tone, content and use of a greater diversity of sources.9Cancer is second only to heart disease as a cause of U.S. death. 10 Prostate cancer and breast cancer are the most common gender-specific cancers.11 Estimates from 2007 showed 29 percent of all men and 37 percent of black men were diagnosed with prostate cancer. Additionally, prostate cancer accounted for 9 percent of cancer deaths in all men and 13 percent of cancer deaths in black men. In 2007, 26 percent of all U.S. women and 27 percent of black women were diagnosed with breast cancer. Breast cancer caused 15 percent of cancer deaths in all women and 19 percent in black women.12 Black men have a higher incidence of prostate cancer, and men overall are diagnosed more often with a gender-specific cancer than are women. Still, genderspecific cancers kill more women.Figures from 2006 specify there were 237 black newspapers,13similar to 1986 figures.14 Surveys demonstrate that African- American publishers and editors believe that their unique content distinguishes them from general audience newspapers.15 This view is shared by their readers.16 One survey revealed that 68 percent of African Americans report reading a black newspaper.17 A North Carolina survey showed that black newspaper readers were also more likely to read a local newspaper.18Black newspapers may be a valuable health news source for black readers. In a survey of black newspaper readers, 80 percent said they read stories that addressed black health risks; 67 percent said stories had influenced them to alter a health habit.19Few studies specifically address cancer coverage in the black press. Studies of Canadian ethnic cancer news suggested that content is culturally tailored20 and that ethnic groups selectively gather cancer information.21 One U.S. study that compared mainstream newspapers with ethnic newspapers found that ethnic newspapers focused more on prevention and that both newspaper types emphasized cancer treatments and breast cancer.22Reporter gender has been linked to gender representation in news stories, source selection and the reporting quality of gendered topics. …